68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL

1. 1.- The proposed development would not constitute permitted development under Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended). The proposal would not comprise solely the change of use of existing Class E floorspace to Class C3 residential use, as part of the proposed residential accommodation would be created within an area that does not currently comprise Class E floorspace. As such, the proposal falls outside the scope of Class MA and cannot be authorised through the prior approval process.
2. 2.- The site is located within the Spitalfields and Banglatown Conservation Area. The proposal would result in the change of use of substantial parts of the building, including much of the ground floor, from commercial to residential use. The erosion of existing workspace accommodation and loss of active frontage would reduce activity and visual interest within the street scene, both of which contribute positively to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. In addition, the proposed residential subdivision would necessitate internal partitions and alterations that relate awkwardly to the external architectural expression of the building. Taken together, these changes would fail to preserve the special character and appearance of the Conservation Area and would result in harm to its significance. The proposal therefore fails to comply with paragraph MA.2(2)(e) of Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).
3. 3.- The proposed development has failed to demonstrate that adequate natural light would be provided to all habitable rooms of the proposed dwellinghouses. Whilst a Daylight and Sunlight Assessment has been submitted, a number of the proposed units comprise deep-plan, single-aspect studio accommodation and the assessment does not evaluate the daylight conditions within the enclosed kitchen areas located beyond the principal living spaces. Given the depth of the units, the reliance on a single aspect and the limited evidence regarding daylight penetration to the deeper parts of the accommodation, the Local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposal would provide adequate natural light for future occupiers. The proposal therefore fails to comply with paragraph MA.2(2)(f) of Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).
4. 4.- The application has failed to demonstrate that future occupiers of the proposed residential accommodation would be adequately protected from noise arising from adjoining and nearby commercial premises. In the absence of sufficient evidence demonstrating that appropriate acoustic mitigation can be achieved, the Local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the impacts of noise on intended occupiers would be acceptable. The proposal therefore fails to comply with paragraph MA.2(2)(d) of Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

E1 5JL

Date validated

4 September 2026

Applicant

Private applicant

Case officer

Robin Bennett

Documents

37