Class MA Prior Approval for 3 Flats in Colchester Town Centre
Class MA prior approval from Colchester City Council for the change of use of a first-floor office in Colchester town centre conservation area to three one-bedroom apartments.
PRIOR APPROVAL SUCCESSESCOLCHESTERESSEX
Andrew Ransome
7/22/20262 min read
In 2024, Colchester City Council granted Class MA prior approval for the change of use of a first-floor office in Colchester town centre to three new one-bedroom apartments, each exceeding the nationally described space standards.
The building fell within the Colchester Town Centre Conservation Area, which required careful demonstration that no changes to the frontage would occur. All Class MA eligibility criteria — vacancy, size, flood risk, contamination, noise and natural light — were met.
Class MA Retail to 3 Flats in Colchester Town Centre
I secured Class MA prior approval from Colchester City Council for the change of use of a first-floor office to three self-contained one-bedroom residential apartments in Colchester town centre.
The building had been used as office space for many years before becoming vacant in March 2021.
Class MA requires the building's internal floor area to be no more than 1,500 sq m. The first-floor office at this site was well within that limit.
The site is also free from the special designations that would disqualify a building from Class MA — no listing, no SSSI, no safety hazard area, no AONB or National Park designation.
The building is located within the Colchester Town Centre Conservation Area. Class MA does not prevent prior approval in conservation areas, but it does require that any external works are minimal. In this case, no changes to the building's frontage were proposed, preserving the character of the town centre streetscene entirely.
I addressed each of the prior approval matters in turn: no contamination risks from the previous office use; Flood Zone 1 location with a low flooding risk; no noise impacts on future residents from the surrounding commercial uses; and all habitable rooms designed with adequate natural light from strategically positioned south and westerly facing windows and skylights.
Each apartment exceeded the nationally described space standards.
Colchester City Council was satisfied that all Class MA criteria were met and granted prior approval.
Planning Application Advice
If you have a vacant office and want to understand whether Class MA applies, I can advise and manage the prior approval application. Contact me to discuss.
Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
Prior Approval Successes
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Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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