Commercial Property Change of Use

[maravilla]

I'm looking at setting up my own business, and was looking for some advice regarding change of use applications.

The property is currently A1, and is used as a cake shop. I am looking to open a tourist attraction/entertainment business. I have been informed I would require to change use to sui generis by the council.

I have a couple of questions regarding this:

1. I spoke to a friend who said if we sell something from the property, say t-shirts or merchandise, then we may not need to change use to sui generis and just say we are a shop? Is this a possibility?

2. If we do change use, I can't find much online about what to put in the application - the council want about $500 to advise on change of use applications. What would we need to include in a change of use application to have the best chance of it being approved?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Nakajo]

500 dollars???

 

[maravilla]

Sorry, using a Mac and it only has a dollar sign on the keyboard!

 

[Nakajo]

OK - well 'GBP' works too!

Back to the topic, and a bit of an odd question: how soon would you like to get moving on this?

 

[maravilla]

I am waiting for heads of terms from the landlord, and confirmation that he will allow adaptations to the property, and then the next step would be to process change of use.

So given everything goes to plan it would be within the next 2 weeks.

 

[Nakajo]

OK, that idea's a non-starter then. So, next question: Can you describe a little more about your business?

 

[maravilla]

Essentially it's a bit like the Crystal Maze, people come and face different challenges and tasks in rooms, building up to a final task for the whole group to try and complete in an alloted time period.

 

[Nakajo]

1. Does merchandise equal shop'?

I'd be interested to see what others have to say, but I think you're going to struggle with this one.

2. Should we submit a pre-app?

I don't think I'd bother with a pre-app. Just do whatever research you can yourself and put in an application to change from A1 to D2 (say) and see what happens.

3. What would we need to include in a change of use application to have the best chance of it being approved?

Again, I'd see what others have to say.

Oh, my question about timeframe was related to the fact that the government have talked about further extending use class changes under PD, but nothing's going to happen on that now (if at all) until after the election.

 

[LukeB123]

I would go with the D2 use too.

I'd be submitting a planning statement with it outlining opening hours, noise etc parking. That people are going to be have to come in by appointment / pre-booked, and that will help keep those issues down (I can't imagine you are going to have people just turn up and wait an hour or so are)

There's a group / business called "Keyhunters" that already do something similar to you, that might be worth a read up on if there is an planning information you can dig up on them?

R.E. Selling something (The A1 / Sui Gen arguement) - that is going to be ancillary to the main use. (The main use being D2) it doesn't matter if you sell things from there or not. It's a bit like saying we have a scrap yard and we sell spare parts to people when they come - the main use is still the scrap yard, and you have to get that established.