First Floor, 40 Long Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LJ Data via plota.co.uk

260136 - Change of Use A1/A2 retail to C3 Dwelling Approved
Change of useNew homesCommercial premises

Proposal

Application to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed change of use from Class E to C3. Office space to 1 bed flat Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
21 Jan 2026
✓
Approved
11 Mar 2026

Approved on 11 Mar 2026 · Last checked 24 Sept 2026

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Site constraints 5

Colchester Area 1 conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Scheduled monument 40 m away: Town Wall
Its setting is a consideration for work nearby.
Nationally important archaeology protected by the Secretary of State. Work that affects the monument or its setting is rarely permitted.
Historic England ↗
14 listed buildings within 150 m
Nearest: 33-37, Long Wyre Street, Grade II, 18 m away · 2 Grade I, 2 Grade II*, 10 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 14 with distances
Historic England ↗
Also on the record
Registered park or garden 196 m away: Colchester Castle Park; Inside the Colchester built-up area.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt

Checked on 6 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

Building

Floor area158 m² (1,701 sq ft)
Energy ratingD (asset rating 79)
UseRetail/Financial and Professional Services
HeatingHeating and Natural Ventilation

From the energy performance certificate lodged in June 2023, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Important details

Council
Colchester
Application type
Change of Use A1/A2 retail to C3 Dwelling
Postcode
CO1 1LJ
Received
21 Jan 2026
Validated
21 Jan 2026
Ward
Castle
Parish
Colchester
Case officer
Show
Target decision
18 Mar 2026
Decision
Prior Approval Required (Approved)
Decision date
11 Mar 2026
Applicant
Show
Agent
Show

How this decision compares

Decided in 49 days from validation, 7 days faster than Colchester's median of 56 for changes of use. Approved, as 72% of changes of use here are.

55%decided within 8 weeks
72%approved
80decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Colchester in the last twelve months, from validation. Colchester decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Comments by
20 Feb 2026

Historical activity at this location

25 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Approved
14 Short Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LN
Change of use for rear storage unit to become 1 bed studio apartment .
252577
2025 Approved
18-22 Vineyard Street, Colchester CO2 7DG
Change of use of building to mixed used of Class F1(f) and Class F2(b)with ancillary acco…
252497
2025 Approved
33-35 Long Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LJ
Change of use of the rear space at 33-35 Long Wyre Street, Colchester to form 1 no. holid…
251641
2025 Refused
14 Short Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LN
Change of use for rear storage unit to become 1 bed studio apartment
251223
2025 Approved
35 Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
External and internal alterations to 33-35 Long Wyre Street (retrospective)
250556
2025 Approved
35 Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
External and internal alterations to 33-35 Long Wyre Street (retrospective)
250557
2025
Former, Bus Depot, Queen Street, Colchester CO1 2PQ
CC/COL/61/25 consultation - Temporary construction compound comprisingoffice/welfare faci…
251608
2025 Approved
38 Queen Street, Colchester CO1 2PL
Installation of 1no new small-cell antenna face mounted on the building and associated an…
250955
2024 Refused
33-35, Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
Part retrospective application for change of use of the rear space at 33-35 Long Wyre Str…
242437
2024 Refused
33-35, Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
Part retrospective application for change of use of the rear space at 33-35 Long Wyre Str…
242437
2024 Refused
First Floor, 17-33 Long Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LJ
Full planning permission is sought for the change of use and conversion of an existing re…
241852
2024 Refused
First Floor, 17-33 Long Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LJ
Full planning permission is sought for the change of use and conversion of an existing re…
241852
2024 Approved
Unit B, Foundation House, 17-33 Long Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LJ
Change of use of the ground floor only, from Retail Use, Class E, to aShow Bar, a sui gen…
241806
2024 Approved
Unit B, Foundation House, 17-33 Long Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LJ
Change of use of the ground floor only, from Retail Use, Class E, to aShow Bar, a sui gen…
241806
2023 Refused
33-35, Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
Change of use to first floor and part of ground floor to provide 2No 1bedroom apartments…
231228
2023 Refused
33-35, Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
Change of use to first floor and part of ground floor to provide 2No 1bedroom apartments…
231228
2023 Refused
33-35, Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
Proposed conversion to provide 2No 1 bedroom flats with retention of Class E commercial a…
231127
2023 Refused
33-35, Long Wyre Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1LJ
Proposed conversion to provide 2No 1 bedroom flats with retention of Class E commercial a…
231127
2023 Approved
The Silk Road, 4 St. Botolphs Street, Colchester CO2 7DX
Conversion of storerooms to create office and studio flat. A juliet balcony to be fitted…
232517
2023 Approved
The Silk Road, 4 St. Botolphs Street, Colchester CO2 7DX
Conversion of storerooms to create office and studio flat. A juliet balcony to be fitted…
232517
2016 Withdrawn
37 Long Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LJ
Erection of four timber framed fascia advertisement signs above windows to replace existi…
160596
2016 Approved
16 Short Wyre Street, Colchester CO1 1LN
To replace shopfront along with internal wall changes
161124
2016 Approved
Roman House, 19-23 Queen Street, Colchester CO1 2PQ
Change of use to Class A3/A4 commercial and Class D2 Leisure. Internalalterations to form…
160943
2016 Approved
Former BHS, 77 Culver Street East, Colchester CO1 1LF
Proposed removal of the existing shop fronts and replacement by new glazed shop fronts fa…
160635
2016 Approved
The Old Police Station, 37 Queen Street, Colchester CO1 2PQ
Advertisement consent for a shroud to be placed on the front elevationshowing the propose…
160206
Colchester
Planning Authority Score
6.2/10
Average
#91 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Colchester is faster than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #43 out of 296. Only 27% of applications have the time limit extended, well below the 41% national average - the council usually decides on time. Colchester is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 84% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 84% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Colchester decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
82%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #245 of 296
84%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #255 of 296
79%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #43 of 296
27%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #39 of 296
67%
Minor dwellings approved
69 decided (1-9 homes)
85%
Major dwellings approved
13 decided (10+ homes)
75%
Change of use approved
89 decided
1,074
Total decisions
188 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.