Lollipops Nursery, Change of Use Planning Permission
During the first national lockdown in March, Lollipops Cafe, a nursery & soft play café in Bournemouth was in danger of going out of business but the owners came to us and asked if we could find an alternative use for the space.
We managed to achieve planning permission in July 2020 for a change of use of the day nursery / soft play centre to also have a dual use for a residential holiday let. This is quite unusual as you usually have permission for one or the other, but with the dual use permission they can operate as both a soft play centre and a holiday home, switching between the uses according to the seasons and the demand.
Lollipops converted part of the building into 3 bedrooms, leaving the soft play café fully functional at the front of the building. Therefore, they can continue to offer a great play space for children and a space for parents to have a coffee and a chat but also the building has been re-purposed so that it can also function as a really quirky holiday let. The property has 3 beds, sleeps 10 adults and has the space for2 cots. So, 2 or even 3 families can share the space for a weekend or longer over the summer and have a really cool adventure play space for the children within close proximity to the beach.
At Pinchin Architects we can help businesses assess their needs and help people find new uses so that they can operate from the same premises, allowing them to keep their current businesses going whilst supplementing income with another use. We can help people think outside the box and plan their way forward so that they can protect their existing businesses and make sure that the rent and bills are paid. It does not matter if the businesses owners own the property owners or are renting from a landlord (as long as landlords give consent for a change of use). Pinchin Architects can help by using the planning system to allow business owners make a new move that can make a significant financial difference.
The future of the high street is unknown, and it is only with time that we will be able to get a clearer idea of where the current trends and restrictions will lead us. We can see a pattern towards people travelling and commuting less and yet also still needing some sort of social interaction, as this is essential. Therefore, the high street will not end completely but it does need to be able to evolve to deal with significantly reduced footfall and altered buying patterns and consumer behaviour.
Pinchin Architects can help businesses navigate these changes so that companies remain footloose and responsive to this rapidly changing environment. To discover how we can assist your business & convert your property contact us.