A second bid has been made that could see new accommodation unveiled above a shop in a coastal town centre.
After plans were refused in September for the creation of a new seven-bedroom house of multiple occupation (HMO) with retail use retained at the former O2 mobile phone shop in Lowestoft, an amended scheme has been lodged.
Plans back then prompted concerns, and a delegated report at the time from East Suffolk council's case officer said the proposals "would fail to provide an acceptable standard of living accommodation for potential occupiers and result in a poor standard of accommodation for future occupiers".
With the property at 113 London Road North having been vacant for many months, last month a new independent mobile phone shop - The Phone & Game Shop - was installed, after it was "sold-off on long leasehold from 2024", according to agents Blue Alpine Planning Ltd.
And now amended plans have been submitted to East Suffolk Council for the two-and-a-half storey corner building in Lowestoft town centre.
A scheme lodged by agents Bischell Construction Ltd on behalf of the applicant Rohan Chopra centring around "Change of Use to HMO retaining front existing ground floor for commercial use" at 113 London Road North, Lowestoft is currently "awaiting decision" with the council.
It could see a new five-bedroom HMO created with retail use retained, as the applicant seeks "to convert the property for a single person accommodation," according to a design and access statement.
It adds: "The amended design has now been proposed as five HMOs on first and loft floor.
"The commercial unit on the ground floor will be retained as existing.
"The unit is currently occupied by an independent mobile phone shop and has ancillary storage at first floor and attic level.
"The reasons for the HMO accommodation, there is a need to develop more single person accommodation that is affordable."
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