We have just submitted this application.
More than a third of UK banks branches have been closed in the last 5 years according to Which. This has been driven by a rapid increase in online and mobile banking, and a rapid decline in the use of physical branches. Teignmouth has not been spared from this trend and Barclays closed its branch on 07-Sep-18. It was immediately put on the market which showed no interest.
The property suffers from two drawbacks which are causing it to be unattractive to the market…
- It is too large for the retailers for whom this would be a prospect
- The bank style frontage with high window sills is not good for retail window displays
We carried out a feasibility study showing it could be re-configured as 2 smaller retail inits and 2 flats, which agents advised would be more marketable.
The building is identified as “outstanding” in its contribution to the conservation area.
The application was for change of use, a sympathetic alteration of the windows on the principle street frontage to lower the sills. We also produced a Heritage Statement.
