The site of a former bank in Teddington will be converted into flats and retail units.

On Wednesday (18 February) Richmond Council approved plans to demolish the old HSBC building, located on the corner of High Street and Cedar Road, and erect a "new building comprising basement, ground and three upper floors (including roof storey), to provide 8 residential flats (Class C3) and up to two retail units (Class E)".

Unico Developments submitted a new planning application for the building's redevelopment following a consultation with the community in 2023.

The fresh scheme will see the ground floor used as a retail space instead of a restaurant as previously proposed in the 2019 application.

Eight flats are planned for the three upper floors of the new building as well as changes to detail of the proposed shop frontages.

A report from planning officers at the council previously recommended the application be approved.

It said: "The proposed scheme has been significantly reduced and revised since the previous refused planning inspector decision."

The former bank at 42 High Street in Teddington. (Credit: Nub News)

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A spokesperson for Unico Developments last week said: "We are very pleased that the application will be considered by the Council's Planning Committee next week and that the application has been recommended for approval by the planning department.

"Our proposals will remove the disused and unattractive building from this prominent corner site and replace it with a quality building which is designed to complement the High Street and Conservation Area.

"As a family-owned business who live in the borough, we are committed to delivering this project and have worked hard to address the reasons why our previous application was refused.

"We have taken the time to listen to neighbours, the Teddingon Society and the Council's officers to evolve the plans, and appreciate all their feedback.

"The development will provide a new ground floor retail space to support the vitality of the High Street, together with eight new one and two bed apartments above. Should the application be approved next week, we intended to tender for construction contractors without delay and hopefully start works in the summer."

To help in its decision making, Richmond Council undertook a neighbour notification exercise in accordance with the Development Management Procedure Order and a statutory notice advertising the application was posted at the site.

52 representations were received. This included 23 letters of objection, 24 letters of support, and five observations.

The objections outlined issues of massing, overdevelopment, poor architecture, loss of privacy and much more.

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During a meeting with the council's planning committee, Unico explained that it did not include affordable housing in its proposals because the development is "too small to make it viable or "practicable".

Speaking about the proposals at the meeting, Teddington councillor, Cllr Richard Baker said: "I really believe that the developers and the architects have made a real effort to make their proposals blend in with the High Street and Cedar Road and made significant changes to the earlier plans which were rejected."

The full application can be viewed here.