Firstly, hello! I couldn't see an appropriate forum to formally introduce myself so my first post is as good as any! I'm an aircraft technician by trade but moving into property development as an investor along with two friends. We have an exciting opportunity to purchase a five storey property containing 12 flats, in need of modernising above all else.
So my query (the estate agent has been of little to no help!): The building had (or perhaps still has) a very old passenger lift which a previous owner decommissioned, we think due to the many safety regulations brought about by LOLER in 1998, the cost of replacing or upgrading was prohibitive and hence no longer in use. The lift entrances as far as we can tell have been panelled over and painted to match the decor of the lobby. My mother's friend used to deliver Avon (haha!) to a flat in the building many, many years ago and said it definitely had a lift as she got stuck in it a few times!
So:
A) would planning permission be required to remove the machinery, working parts and electrics from the shaft? Or:
B) would planning permission be required (along with significant structural work) to knock-through the shaft to expand space available within the flats?
I'm banking on the fact they've left everything in situ and just sealed it off. My concern here is that with it being an old lift(if still there?) there is likely to be an abundance of asbestos in the shaft for friction parts and fire protection that would require professional removal. This might be for a lift engineer to comment?
Any assistance most appreciated.
Kind regards,
Jim
So my query (the estate agent has been of little to no help!): The building had (or perhaps still has) a very old passenger lift which a previous owner decommissioned, we think due to the many safety regulations brought about by LOLER in 1998, the cost of replacing or upgrading was prohibitive and hence no longer in use. The lift entrances as far as we can tell have been panelled over and painted to match the decor of the lobby. My mother's friend used to deliver Avon (haha!) to a flat in the building many, many years ago and said it definitely had a lift as she got stuck in it a few times!
So:
A) would planning permission be required to remove the machinery, working parts and electrics from the shaft? Or:
B) would planning permission be required (along with significant structural work) to knock-through the shaft to expand space available within the flats?
I'm banking on the fact they've left everything in situ and just sealed it off. My concern here is that with it being an old lift(if still there?) there is likely to be an abundance of asbestos in the shaft for friction parts and fire protection that would require professional removal. This might be for a lift engineer to comment?
Any assistance most appreciated.
Kind regards,
Jim