No Planning Needed? Commercial to Housing.

SwD

Hi All,

I recently discovered an article in the Irish Times which stated that no planning was needed to change commercial buildings to housing.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/no-planning-needed-to-change-commercial-buildings-to-housing-1.3004565

My mother currently has a premises on Camden Street in Dublin, of which the ground floor is let as a cafe, but the upper floors are vacant. Currently the upper floors have planning for commercial, but i was thinking they would be put to better use as residential.

I'm hoping to go about this process as cheaply as possible, and honestly all i feel we need to do is take down a wall which divides two toilets and input bath/shower.

I'm wondering whats the best/cheapest process without involving architect and engineers fees?

Would anyone recommend a planning consultant?
Or is that even necessary?

Thank you

BryanF

news to me

Currently planning is required for change of use

SwD

BryanF wrote: »

news to me

Currently planning is required for change of use

Perhaps if the use is social housing , specifically?

Gumbo

SwD wrote: »

Hi All,

I recently discovered an article in the Irish Times which stated that no planning was needed to change commercial buildings to housing.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/no-planning-needed-to-change-commercial-buildings-to-housing-1.3004565

My mother currently has a premises on Camden Street in Dublin, of which the ground floor is let as a cafe, but the upper floors are vacant. Currently the upper floors have planning for commercial, but i was thinking they would be put to better use as residential.

I'm hoping to go about this process as cheaply as possible, and honestly all i feel we need to do is take down a wall which divides two toilets and input bath/shower.

I'm wondering whats the best/cheapest process without involving architect and engineers fees?

Would anyone recommend a planning consultant?
Or is that even necessary?

Thank you

It's only a proposal.
Planning still required at present.

Even if this gets through then you will still need a fire cert and DAC do engineer, architect or surveyor etc still required

BryanF

kceire wrote: »

It's only a proposal.
Planning still required at present.

Even if this gets through then you will still need a fire cert and DAC do engineer, architect or surveyor etc still required

Commencement notice!? Assigned certifier/designer full BCAR applies!? Will this proposal actually make it to the Dail in the form suggested in the article? I doubt it.. people want their opportunity to object to 'a change of use'! how would they classify/ manage the criteria, surely certain commercial properties would be deemed unsuitable?

Gumbo

BryanF wrote: »

Commencement notice!? Assigned certifier/designer full BCAR applies!? Will this proposal actually make it to the Dail in the form suggested in the article? I doubt it.. people want their opportunity to object to 'a change of use'! how would they classify/ manage the criteria, surely certain commercial properties would be deemed unsuitable?

I agree.

Effects

These guys did it on room to Improve:
http://www.rte.ie/tv/roomtoimprove/s8prog1.html
http://www.rte.ie/tv/roomtoimprove/s8ep1_gallery.html

I can't remember the process they had to go through though. They also posted about it here on boards as well, answering questions for people.

There was a recent article in some paper as well about converting space above commercial shops to domestic dwellings. Useless info from me though, as I can't remember where I read it. One shop owner had an issue with windows she put in, they were PVC I think and DCC made her replace them with ones more in keeping with the period of the building. It was on Thomas street.

Found it:
https://www.dublininquirer.com/2017/04/04/above-shops-thousands-of-apartments-are-still-sitting-vacant/