St Leonards office block conversion plans - new application submitted by developers

Developers have submitted plans to turn the top floor of Ocean House, in London Road, into apartments.

The application is the latest out of several that have been submitted for the building in recent years.

Almost three years ago, developers submitted plans to turn Ocean House, at 87-89 London Road, from offices into residential flats.

The application was to convert 11 floors into 72 flats, which would be made up of 31 one-bedroom flats and 41 two-bedroom apartments.

In the application by Wynbay Limited, office space would be retained on the ground and first floors.

Council planners gave the scheme the go-ahead in May 2021.

Then in July that year the same developers submitted a separate application to convert Ocean House into 83 flats, of which 38 would be one-bedroom ones and the remaining 45, two-bedroom.

In September 2021, Hastings Borough Council gave the green light for the development to go ahead.

Then at the end of January last year, developers from Wynbay Limited submitted an application for external alterations to Ocean House, which included replacement of windows on the ground and 12th floors, refurbishment of other windows where needed, creation of new window openings and the removal of the secondary ground-floor entrance.

The application, which was given planning permission by the borough council in March 2023, also included the replacement of gates attached to the building and the refurbishment of the existing security grilles and balustrades.

In the latest application, developers have applied for planning permission to turn the 12th floor of Ocean House into two flats, one of which would be a one-bedroom flat, and the other a two bedroom one.

In a design and access statement on behalf of the developers, Front Architecture said: “Previously permission had been granted in July 2021 for a change of use from offices to 83 flats and in January 2023 permission had been granted for new window openings on the 12th floor. This proposal looks to use both these permissions combined with an additional two flats internally. As the windows already have permission granted this proposal will not impact the elevation of the building or any external appearance.

“The scale of the building will remain the same as existing. The only proposed changes are internal layouts on the 12th floor. These changes will have no affect on the height or scale of the building.”