St. Nicholas House, 31-34 High Street, Bristol, BS1 2AW

Planning appeal 3360835 at St. Nicholas House, 31-34 High Street, Bristol, BS1 2AW (Bristol City Council) was dismissed on 11 November 2025 by Inspector Parkin A, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Transport, particularly to ensure safe site access.

a change of use of part of ground floor, and floors 1-5, from office (Use Class E(g(i))) to 23no. studio flats (Use Class C3a), including refuse, recycling and cycle storage at basement level (1no. commercial unit retained at ground floor level)

Authority: Bristol City Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Parkin A
Postcode: BS1 2AW

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Transport, particularly to ensure safe site access
The character and sustainability of the City and Queen Square Conservation Area
The living conditions of future occupiers with particular regard to natural light in habitable rooms

What decided it

The proposal fails to provide adequate natural light in all habitable rooms as required by Paragraph W(2A) of Schedule 2, Part 3 of the GPDO, and the transport impacts relating to safe site access are unacceptable.

The acceptable effect on the character and sustainability of the conservation area was outweighed by the adverse transport effects and the inadequate natural light provision.

What the Inspector cited

Judgments: Holborn Studios Ltd v The Council of the London Borough of Hackney (2018)

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

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The decision letter

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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.