Conversion of Battle shop unit into holiday apartments refused by inspector

In a decision notice published on Thursday (November 3), a planning inspector has dismissed an appeal connected to plans to convert a Grade II listed property at 85 to 86 Battle High Street into holiday apartments.

The scheme had previously been refused by Rother District Council, which concluded the conversion would ‘erode the vibrancy and bustle’ of the town’s retail centre.

This decision was challenged by the applicants, who argued that low demand for commercial space within Battle meant the property would no longer be viable in its current form.

As evidence, the applicants said the premises, previously an estate agents, had been vacant for some time. They also pointed to other empty shops in the area, saying this showed how a conversion would not harm the area.

But in their decision notice the inspector said: “The loss of the commercial unit, within Battle town centre and a designated shopping area, has the potential to harm the economic viability of the town centre, undermining its function and attractiveness within its wider catchment area.

“I acknowledge that this loss would likely be to a limited extent in the context of the large number of units that exist within the town centre as a whole. I also acknowledge that the use of the units as holiday let accommodation could add to the number of people using the property and its guests potentially helping to increase local spend.

“However, this benefit is relatively limited and is unlikely to outweigh the harm of the loss of the retail unit.”