A former financial services office in Tolworth could be converted into a two bedroom flat under new planning legislation.
A change of use notification has been submitted by Aneil Abbeynayake, owner of Abbey IFA, which until November 2012 had been based at 452 Ewell Road.
The premises has been vacant ever since and Mr Abbeynayake, who owns the property, wants to use new laws introduced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles that allows offices to be converted into homes without planning permission.
In a letter to Kingston Council, Mr Abbeynayake wrote: “The premises at 452 Ewell Road will positively benefit from the new legislative changes and can be transformed into a desirable residential dwelling without any form of structural alterations or any inconvenience to the neighbourhood.”
Kingston Council has been inundated with change of use notifications since the new laws were introduced in May.
The legislation is aimed at easing the housing crisis, but critics, including Kingston Council’s lead member for place Simon James, say it erodes local authorities’ decision-making powers.
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