Richmond council has this week approved plans to convert an office space in Teddington into one residential dwelling.

The planning application sought permission for "the change of use of the existing office building at 1A Church Lane from Class E (commercial, business and service) to 1 no. dwelling (Class C3)".

The floorspace in question is currently in use by commercial tenants. The conversion subject to this Prior Approval will only be implemented once the existing tenants have relocated.

The unit in its entirety has been used as commercial offices since the 1980s.

This use fell within the former Class B1 a), b) & c), which has been replaced with Class E 'Commercial, Business and Service'. The current tenant, FT Technologies Ltd. has occupied the building for more than 20 years.

1 Church Lane in 2012 (Credit: Richmond Council Planning Application document)

An application document said: "The conversion subject to this Prior Approval will only be implemented once the existing tenants have relocated."

It added: "1A Church Lane consists of a two-storey building facing Church Lane with a single storey addition at the northwest end of the building. The building has been in use as offices for a significant amount of time.

"The area subject to this application involves the entire building.

"Church Lane is a quiet cul-de-sac immediately adjacent to the site to the north-west are the rear sides of residential properties on Church Road.

"A private car park area is to the south-east on Church Lane. Opposite across Church Lane are more residential buildings. Teddington Baptist Church is nearby on Church Road."

The application proposals further include adequate internal storage for 2 no. bicycles to support the proposed dwelling.

The application received one objection from a local resident "on the grounds of overdevelopment, lack of clarity, and potential harm to residential amenity, contrary to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Local Plan — particularly Policies LP8 and LP35."