Planning Permission Secured in Camden for a dual office and medical clinic
Planning permission from the London Borough of Greenwich for the change of use of a vacant B1 office to a D2 yoga studio, demonstrating compliance with a new Core Strategy adopted since the original permission.
PLANNING APPROVALSLONDONCAMDEN
Andrew Ransome
6/13/20262 min read
In 2015, the London Borough of Camden approved a planning application for a dual B1 office and D1 osteopathic clinic use, enabling a specialist practitioner to relocate to new premises.
A previous application for full change of use had been refused on employment retention grounds, and the case was resolved through a creative dual-use strategy and sustained negotiation with officers.
The Planning Policy Issue in Camden
The London Borough of Camden had refused a planning application for a full change of use from B1 office to D1 osteopathic clinic, on the grounds that it would result in the loss of employment floorspace contrary to adopted policy.
The office unit in question had, however, been vacant for five years and used only for storage — a material consideration that the earlier application had not adequately pressed.
Research also revealed that Camden's restrictive employment retention policy had not been applied consistently on comparable proposals elsewhere in the borough, providing an additional strand to the resubmission case.
Rather than simply appealing the refusal — which would have been time-consuming and unsuited to the client's immediate need to continue treating existing patients — a dual-track approach was adopted: an appeal was prepared in parallel with a fresh planning application for a dual B1/D1 use.
The dual-use application proposed to retain the B1 office designation whilst allowing the premises to operate as a D1 osteopathic clinic for the duration of the tenant's occupation.
This approach directly addressed the Council's employment retention concerns, whilst allowing the clinic to function.
The benefits advanced in support of the scheme included employment for medical and administrative staff, provision of a needed community health service, support for a local business, and the productive reuse of a long-vacant office space.
The London Borough of Camden approved the dual-use application, and the appeal was withdrawn — saving the client both time and expense.
Planning Application Advice
If you have a development project in Camden or elsewhere in London that requires planning advice, contact me to discuss how I can assist.
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.
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Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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