New plans to turn offices into homes have been submitted after being blocked four times in two years.

If approved, the new application, submitted on December 11, would allow a developer to turn 41 Market Street into eight homes.

That is one less than had been proposed in September 2021, April 2022, August 2022, and February this year, which were all shot down by Watford Borough Council.

When the council refused the most recent failed application, its officers said that the nine proposed flats fail to provide a large enough internal floor area for an adult.

“The failure to meet nationally described space standard is unacceptable,” the planning officer said, recommending refusal.

Watford Observer: The office building is located to the rear of Market Street shops.The office building is located to the rear of Market Street shops. (Image: Google Street View)

Although one less flat is proposed, the reconfiguration includes a one-bedroom-two-person home and an extra two-bedroom home, meaning it would house an extra person overall (13).

The council was also previously not convinced that the applicant had demonstrated what previous uses for the building had been, however the new plan has more evidence to show it was used as offices before becoming vacant in April 2021.