The whole of 63-69 Oundle Road is planned to be converted into housing.

The first part of a major plan to convert a number of shops into housing have been approved in Peterborough city centre.

69 Oundle Road, which was formerly home to the Baan Thai takeaway, which replaced the Happy Na Na Cafe in 2020. Prior to 2016, the premises were occupied by Tiannas Café and previously Ollies Sandwiches and Pasta.

The building will now be converted into two one bedroom one person homes.

Although the application is for permitted development, No 69 has been planned to form part of a greater residential development of Nos 63-69 Oundle Road with No 67a providing 2 flats and a retail unit, Nos 63-65 providing up to 4 flats and a retail unit and the workshops to the rear consented under application for three duplex dwellings.

63-65 Oundle Road was formerly home to the iconic Cotton TV Sales and Rentals. The business closed its doors for the final time in February 2023.

The shop opened in 1960 and became well known for its colourful and creative window displays for a whole host of events such as Christmas, jubilees, the Olympics and Halloween.

Currently, most of the ground floor is retail space with an enclosed office midway to the rear of the building, with workshops and staff facilities at the rear.

The proposals are to convert the upper floors and the read of the ground floor into four one bedroom flats. The existing shop floor would be maintained.

The application states: “The aim of the development is to provide a well designed, desirable place to live with modern thermally efficient dwellings in a safe and secure environment. There will be no changes to the footprint or volume of the building.”

The Cotton TV conversion is subject to a separate application that is yet to be decided and can be viewed on Peterborough City Council’s planning portal using reference 24/01226/PRIOR.

The conversion of 69 Oundle Road can be viewed using reference 24/01183/PRIOR.