Croydon's Planning Committee has unanimously granted permission for a change of use at 319 Whitehorse Road, allowing a former storage area to be converted into a studio flat. The decision was made during a meeting on Thursday, July 2, 2026.
The proposal was brought before the committee due to the applicant being Councillor Humayun Kabir, a member of the planning committee. This relationship was managed to ensure transparency, with committee members asked if they were happy to determine the application with an open and impartial mind, given their acquaintance with Councillor Kabir.
The change of use falls under the General Permitted Development Order, meaning it is automatically approved if certain criteria are met. Presenting officer Katie Park outlined that the site's location and the proposed floor plan met these criteria. These include the premises having been a takeaway since and prior to March 20, 2013, and the change of use involving less than 150 square meters (the total GIA is 51.17 square meters). Furthermore, there is no extension of the footprint, only internal alterations, no significant demolition, and the site is not in a designated area such as a conservation area, nor is it a listed building or in a site of scientific interest. These criteria comply with national legislation.
The studio flat being created has a total gross internal area (GIA) of 51.17 square meters, with the living area alone being 45 square meters and a ceiling height of 2.6 meters. The intended use for the new flat is for 'one person', described as a 'studio flat, one bed, one person'.
The takeaway business operating at the premises, identified as 'Ram's Chicken Shop', will retain 37 square meters of space after the conversion of the rear storage area. This retained space is confirmed to be sufficient for their operational needs, including room for their fridges and chicken storage.
Concerns regarding highway safety, flooding, and the site's character were addressed by officers. For highway safety, the site is in a controlled parking area, and the applicant agreed to a Section 106 agreement preventing the occupant from applying for a parking permit. Cycle storage is provided, and the location is well-connected by public transport with Selhurst Railway Station a 12-minute walk away. For flooding, the site is in flood zone 2 due to being under the culverted Norbury Brook, but it is considered low risk. To mitigate this, the applicant's agent provided a flood risk assessment, and measures such as raising the finished floor levels above any flood risk depth and ensuring an existing damp proof course are in place. Officers concluded that the development would not have significant negative impacts.
Lee Pitters, the agent for the application, spoke in support, highlighting that the proposal meets 'national space standards', which are comfortably exceeded by the proposed studio flat's GIA of 51.17 square meters (the standard being 37 square meters). Additionally, the ceiling heights are over 2.5 meters.
The committee members expressed no objections, with Councillor Shortland thanking the officers for their comprehensive report and Councillor Johnson stating he saw absolutely no reason whatsoever to turn down this application.
Read more about the meeting in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.
