Last week, ET Planning helped to bring a vacant listed building back into use, after plans were approved which will increase the desirability of the site to potential new business tenants.
The characterful building, situated in the Dorking Conservation Area in Surrey, will be extended to increase the floor area and provide new kitchen facilities, whilst protecting the historic fabric of the listed site.
The Surrey Yeoman Pub on Dorking High Street has been closed for over a year and the current owners have been actively seeking ways to maximise the building’s potential. In 2017, Mole Valley District Council permitted the change of use of the building to a restaurant so that the owner could advertise the space to restaurant tenants as well as pub landlords. Feedback indicated that the building layout did not lend itself to a successful business and so the newly approved plans will be more appealing to business owners.
Through working with Create Design Architects and the council’s conservation officer, plans have now been agreed to provide a single storey extension to the rear of the property and relocate the kitchen from the first floor to the ground floor. Conditions have been added to the planning approval to ensure the development respects the amenity of the surrounding area.