2 Market Place, Chippenham, SN15 3HE

1. 1.The application site occupies a prominent position within the Chippenham Conservation Area. The Chippenham Conservation Area character appraisal identifies the area as being characterised by predominantly ground-floor commercial units and identifies the application building as a positive contributor to the townscape. The proposed change of use would result in residential development at ground-floor level, which is not a characteristic form of development for this part of the Conservation Area. The proposed ground-floor residential change of use in this prominent position within the street scene would be incongruous and would fail to preserve or enhance the appearance of the Chippenham Conservation Area, thereby negatively impacting the character. Having paid special attention to the duty under Section 72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the Local Planning Authority considers the scheme to be contrary to the objectives of national decision-making policies HE4, HE6, and HE9 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Prior approval is therefore refused under paragraph MA.2(1)(e) of Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.
2. 2.The proposed change of use would result in the permanent loss of the whole ground floor Class E use of a building occupying a prominent position in Chippenham town centre. Insufficient evidence has been provided to demonstrate that continued commercial occupation of the ground floor is no longer a realistic prospect. The Local Planning Authority considers that the loss of ground-floor commercial use would erode the concentration of active commercial uses in this part of the Chippenham Conservation Area, which contribute to the viability and sustainability of the Conservation Area as a whole. The Local Planning Authority considers the scheme to be contrary to the objectives of national decision-making policies HE4, HE6 and TC2 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Prior approval is therefore refused under paragraph MA.2(1)(e) of Schedule 2, Part 3, Class MA of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

SN15 3HE

Application type

Prior Approval Part 3, Class MA: Commercial, business and service uses to dwellinghouses

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Chippenham CP

Date validated

21 July 2026

Consultation expiry

20 August 2026

Consultation end

20 August 2026

Target decision date

15 September 2026

Case officer

Isobella Wise

Statutory period

56 days

Documents

7