Plans to turn a five-storey office space into a nine bedroom home in The Green, Richmond has been refused by the council.

Applicants, Ridge and Partners LLP proposed to change the use of an office space back to 'its original use' as a single residential home.

Better known as Onslow House, the Grade II listed building was built in 1710 by Lord Onslow and it was not until 1954 when Calvert Smith and Stucliffe solicitors moved into the property that the building became an office for the first time.

In the application, consultants Ridge and Partners LLP say: "The proposals aims to create a single family dwelling which involves non-intrusive re-ordering of the of the property by removing modern partitions and lobbies to restore the original plan form of the house to a notable degree at ground floor level."

Proposed site of the home which would consist of nine bedrooms (credit: Planning application).

Despite wanting to revert the building back to its 'orginal' form, the plans were refused by Richmond Council on 28 March 2024 because of loss of office space, lack of affordable housing and insufficient details on preservation of the Grade II listed building.

In its decision, the council wrote: "Reason for refusal - loss of office. The development, by reason of loss of office floor space, would result in harm to the Borough's stock of office floorspace, to the detriment of the local needs of the Borough."

Continuing: "Reason for Refusal - Affordable Housing In the absence of a legal agreement to secure an appropriate contribution towards offsite affordable housing, the scheme fails to address the recognised housing need and will be contrary to, in particular, to Local Plan (2018) Policy LP36, Supplementary Planning Document on Affordable Housing (2014) and Publication Local Plan (2018) policy 11."

The council finished by saying: "Reason for refusal - heritage In the absence of sufficient details of the proposed works, it has not been satisfactorily demonstrated the proposal will preserve or enhance the significance of the Grade II listed building."

Images from the inside of the 18th century building (credit: Planning application).

In the heritage statement, prepared by HCUK Group, it states: "Heritage significance derives from the architectural interest of the building as a well-preserved example of an early 18th century house that was adapted and modernised in the period between 1760 and 1780.

"No. 9 in particular is a large higher status urban dwelling of the period, with surviving contemporary interiors and well proportioned and detailed front and rear elevations.

"The deep front light wells, enclosed by wrought and cast-iron railings attest to the building's high social rank and addition of a canted bay window in the 1910-13 period adds a further layer of architectural interest to the external elevation, although this feature does disrupt the original symmetry of the street frontage."

Ridge and Partners LLP intended to revert the office space into home, but without taking away from the heritage of the site.

"The proposals involve a non-intrusive re-ordering of the of the property to create a single-family residence with modern partitions and lobbies removed to restore the late 18th century plan form of the house to a notable degree at ground floor level," it explains.

Works were expected to begin in May 2024 and be completed by February 2025.

To read the refused application in full, click here.

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