ANOTHER office block in the Top of The Town could be set to be changed into living accommodation.

A planning application has been submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to change the use of an office in New Road.

In the last year there have been applications to transform St Pancras House, the ex-services club and Global House, all in the Top of The Town area, into flats.

This latest application from Shorthouse and Martin seeks to change the current meeting and office space at 60 New Road into two one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments.

Under permitted development laws, a change of office use to living accommodation does not require full planning consent and so this application takes the form of a notification.

The planning statement reads: “The application site comprises a two-storey building plus part basement and roof accommodation, located on the western side of New Road.

“The building is enclosed to the rear by a brick wall with an access to the parking area to the rear of the building from an existing public car park.”

The planning statement adds: “The application site and its extension are not assigned for any specific of restrictive designations on the adopted Local Plan.”

No additional parking facilities are being sought under the proposal as the building has a private car park which can house up to eight vehicles.

The site had previously had planning permission granted in 2013 to be converted into living accommodation with the same number of dwellings.

However, this prior notification had lapsed, and so this new application has been put forward to the borough council.

The planning statement adds: “The proposed scheme would not increase the number of dwellings as previously approved, and therefore there would have no further impact on the transport and highway impact.”

To view the proposed plans or to comment, go to planning.basingstoke.gov.uk and search with the reference code 18/02656/GPDOFF.