The prominent Barking Road buildings will be converted into six flats, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

Two floors of a prominent building in Plaistow can be converted into flats, Newham Council has agreed.

Plans approved by the council say six flats can be built at Boleyn House and above the post office next door, in Barking Road.

The plans say the conversion will “repurpose redundant office space” and “directly result in more residential units for the borough”.

The six flats are to be built on the first and second floors of the two buildings at 774-778 Barking Road.

The largest building is a locally-listed former bank. It stands opposite The World Cup Sculpture of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Ray Wilson at the junction of Barking Road and Green Street.

The ground floor is currently occupied by an estate agent, while the floors above are offices.

Property company Landhaven Ltd submitted its plans to the council in May last year. They say there will be two studio flats, two one-bed flats and two two-bed flats.

The plans also say there will be “no external alterations required to the building”.

National planning law says conversions from offices to flats don’t require full planning permission as they have “prior approval”.

However, councils still have to confirm the flats will have adequate space, light and noise protection, that they won’t pose a risk to road safety, and that they have adequate transport links, before giving them the go-ahead.

Council planning officers approved the conversion last Friday (23rd).

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