Plans have been lodged to convert vacant office space in a historic St Helier quayside building into two apartments.
The application relates to 20 Commercial Buildings, a Grade 3 Listed Building forming part of the harbourfront terrace described in planning documents as “an outstanding and unique set of merchants houses and warehouses”.
Applicant Patrick Kennedy is seeking permission to turn the first and second floor offices into two one-bedroom flats, while retaining the ground-floor commercial use.
The upper-floor offices have been vacant for over a year, according to documents submitted by Socrates Architects on behalf of the applicant.
Each apartment would be around 63 square metres. A separate residential entrance would also be created at ground-floor level through a “modest reduction” in the commercial frontage area.
Cycle storage for three bicycles and external storage areas are also included in the plans.
The application includes limited alterations to the exterior of the listed building, including replacing a non-original window with a heritage-style doorway.
Planning documents state that the doorway would restore part of the building’s original appearance rather than introducing a new feature.
“The proposal therefore restores the historic logic and composition of the frontage rather than introducing a new or alien feature,” the heritage impact assessment says.
The report adds that the changes would amount to “a very low level of external change to the listed building”.
Internally, the works are described as “light-touch”, involving mainly lightweight partitions, upgraded insulation and fire protection measures. The architects say no historic interior features would be lost as part of the conversion.
The ground floor would remain in commercial use and the proposal would not involve excavation, basement accommodation or an extension to the building footprint.
The full application can be found online.