Proposals to turn a town centre building into homes have gone in again after being refused five times.

On January 31 a plan to turn 41 Market Street, formerly Computer Software And Peripherals, into eight flats was refused by Watford Borough Council over national floor space standards and a lack of daylight for potential residents.

Permitted development rights do not authorise a development that does not meet the nationally described space standard and units 3, 7, and 8 apparently did not have either built-in storage or sufficient gross internal floor area.

It followed plans for nine flats in the same location meeting refusal after being proposed in September 2021, April 2022, August 2022, and February 2023 respectively.

Two reasons for rejection being given was less than at all the previous attempts, where either three or four were highlighted.

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)

The latest plan, submitted last week, again asks for permission for eight units and according to the application “every flat proposed within this current application complies with the nationally described minimum space standards”. It also contains a daylight sunlight assessment.

The latest plan, for six studio flats and two two-bedrooms, is currently “pending consideration”.