Capital PCC was commissioned to produce a feasibility study to convert the Client’s existing vacant office building, at Bretton Court, into residential flats. The property is an office block situated on Flaxland, adjacent the Bretton Shopping Centre Car Park in Peterborough.

The property has several shops and offices on the ground floor, still trading, while the first, second and third floor were used as offices but are now vacant. At the south corner of the building there is a Public House, The Roundhead, which spans on 2 floors, ground and first floor, and has been vacant for the last 7 years. The scope of the works was ampliated to include the conversion of the pub into commercial offices and residential flats.

As part of the feasibility study our client requested a single-story roof top development, from three to four floors with an option for a pitch roof conversion. A visual survey, intrusive investigations and material testing were undertaken.  A close visual inspection of the external fabric was undertaken by abseiling to all elevations. Internal surveys and investigations were carried out to first, second and third floors to confirm construction. Access to the ground floor was restricted to access cores only due to the retail units being in occupation.

The rear service and parking areas, together with the landscaping, was also re-designed to comply to the Planners requirements. This includes refuse collection points and cycle stores, serving this conversion.

The final scheme, for 45 flats, had Prior Notification approval in May 2019, and Planning Permission approval in October 2019. The scheme has also 74 parking spaces, of which 13 are for disabled. The existing building shell is being kept with re-cladding being undertaken to comply to the residential insulation requirements of the Building Regulations. The internal columns structure of the building will be kept as existing, with the commercial ground floor retained as such, and the first, second and third floors developed in to one and two bed affordable flats spanning across the building for a total of approx. 3000sqm of GIA residential space.