A former Baptist chapel – converted in the 1990s to a showroom - could undergo a further conversion to housing.
Tp24 Lighting has put forward plans to Fenland District Council to change the existing chapel used for storage and an unused showroom to seven homes.
An eighth will come from converting a single storey building at the rear – also used for storage.
“The proposal seeks to have little or no impact on the external extents of the existing buildings at all,” says the company in its application to Fenland planners.
In total there are four 2-bedroom homes and four 1-bedroom homes proposed for the former chapel in West Park Street.
“The proposal comprises of a brick-weave communal yard area at the front sitting west of the two-storey building,” says the company.
“East of the site between the two buildings is proposed to be a communal patio area.”
The main access remains “however access along the southern boundary is dependent on a small section of land being purchased from the southern neighbour”.
Tp24 say no parking has been included in their proposal due to the site being in Chatteris town “therefore public transport links are good and free parking is widely available throughout the town and on West Park Street if required”.
The company’s agent says the intention is to make better use of two commercial buildings to generate income for a small business supporting the economy and provide comfortable accommodation to tenants.
None of the changes, they say, will diminish the existing “look and feel that comes with the character of the existing building”.
The building was originally a Baptist chapel which was closed in 1990.
Tp24 says the site has not changed apart from replacement windows.
They say it is not a heritage asset however there are five listed buildings on West Park Street surrounding the building. It is also in a conservation area.
“The entire building will be converted internally with the installation of some windows and doors to the external walls,” says Tp24.
Views are being sought on the proposals. One early response has been from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue.
It has told Fenland planners that “from the information given, access for fire appliances may be considered inadequate”.
The fire service says the responsibility for approving access and facilities rests with building control at Fenland Council.
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