Former Post Office/Larcums up for auction
The former Post Office / Larcums shop on Market Street will be auctioned online on 23rd June, with a starting price of £425,000.
The building is currently arranged as a ground-floor shop, first-floor flat, and parking area.
Tayler & Fletcher, the auctioneers, describe it as “A substantial premises for development or refurbishment”. You can read the listing and brochure on their website.
The building is currently Class E (Commercial). The new “permitted development” right, which would permit fast-track conversion to residential use, does not apply in Charlbury because the town is part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The West Oxfordshire Local Plan states that permission for change of use will only be given if the building “is incapable of being made viable or adapted to retain a viable service or facility including as a community run enterprise. A robust marketing exercise will be required to demonstrate that the use or premises is unviable”.
The Charlbury Neighbourhood Plan, which is up for referendum this Thursday and will form part of planning policy if the vote succeeds, states that “Proposals for changes of use of [commercial] premises… for residential uses will not be supported unless there is evidence that the premises are no longer commercially viable… proposed change of use of former retail premises in Sheep Street and Market Street will be supported where they would provide employment opportunities or otherwise support the vitality and viability of the town centre through provision of community facilities, community projects or sustainable tourism”.
Richard Fairhurst · Mon 7 Jun 2021, 10:05 · Link