Flats plan for Wellingborough's former Euronics shop

The ground floor of this prominent town centre building could be revamped from retail to residential
The former Euronics shop in March 2009The former Euronics shop in March 2009
The former Euronics shop in March 2009

Plans to turn Wellingborough's former Euronics shop into flats have been submitted.

An application has gone in to convert the ground floor of the town centre building, known as Central Hall Buildings, from two shops into three flats.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The building stands on the corner of Oxford Street and Silver Street and some of its history is detailed in the design and access statement submitted as part of the application by Franklin.

The unit in May 2017The unit in May 2017
The unit in May 2017

It says: "We understand from our discussions with the Wellingborough Civic Society that the building was once the home of the Liberal Club, it had a balcony over the doorway and politicians gave speeches from that position.

"Post war it is remembered as a dance hall and part of these facilities still exist at the very rear of 1D High Street.

"In the 1960s the building was sold to Mobile Radio who converted it into a shop and workshops from where they rented and sold televisions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"By 2010 the business had closed, and the building was sold.

The proposed front elevation (Oxford Street)The proposed front elevation (Oxford Street)
The proposed front elevation (Oxford Street)

"The present owners bought the building in 2016 and MWK Architects with the assistance of the borough’s conservation officer John Udall, designed the conversion of the upper floors of Central Hall Buildings into seven flats, completing this in early 2017."

Since 2017, all the flats have been let and the original intention was to retain the commercial use of the ground floor, but keep it as two potential shop units.

However, with no uptake for the shops, a further application for a change of use for restaurant use was granted by Wellingborough Council in August 2017.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But attempts to let the ground floor as a restaurant also failed.

In October 2018, work started to explore converting the shop units into flats but at that time, the viability of converting all the shop units to flats was felt to be marginal and some of the shop units had sitting tenants on fixed contracts.

Two years later with those remaining shop leases coming to an end and Covid-19 having a significant impact on retail and the tenants not renewing their leases, work re-started on what could be done with the building.

These proposals are to convert the shop facing Oxford Street into a one-bed flat, the shop on the corner of Silver Street into a two-bed flat and that which is currently the jewellers into another two-bed flat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In conclusion, the design and access statement says: "Converting the vacant commercial units will provide an active frontage on a prominant junction in Wellingborough town centre.

"This proposal aims to improve the appearance of Central Hall Buildings by reinstating the original ground floor treatment elevation which in turn, will restore the prominent element of townscape."

For more details on the application, which will be considered by Wellingborough Council, search for WP/20/00863/FUL on the planning page of the authority's website.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive.

We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Related topics: