Five new flats planned above Kellyvision in Whittlesey

Plans have been submitted for five new flats above Kellyvision in Whittlesey.

The first floor of the building- of which the appliance store occupies the ground floor- at 26-28 Broad Street is subject to an application to create three two-bed flats and two one-bed flats.

The application has been put in by the owners of the building who stated that the building became no longer viable as a wholly commercial entity due to a fire over 17 years ago.

The application states that while the work to repair the commercial unit was completed, work on the first floor flats stopped for “various reasons.”

The fresh application is for the same number and layout of flats as approved in 2006.

The entrance to the shop is located on Broad Street but the entrance that leads to the first floor is located on Whitmore Street.

There is currently only one parking space at the site, which the ground floor unit uses for vans and deliveries.

No parking provision has been proposed as part of the scheme “due to the size and sustainable location of the development.”

The application states that because the change of the use for the second floor to residential use has already been approved, parking provision is not relevant for this application.

Changes to the building would include creating a new opening in the boundary wall to allow access to a bin and bike store, adding a security gate as well as changing the profile of the roof to a pitched one to add rooflights.

The application states: “We believe that the new proposal will have a limited impact on the neighbouring amenity spaces as well as the wider area as the proposals relate to the location of the building which address the corner and also forms the starting point of the shopping frontage on Broad Street which also addresses the public realm.

"The application provides an appropriate design solution and improves the visual impact of the existing building by creating an appealing aesthetic that meets relevant local and national planning policies.”

The application can be viewed on Fenland District Council's planning portal using reference F/YR23/0419/F.