Plans to turn a shop into a flat in Watford have been approved on the third attempt.

The amended plans for The Upholstery Workshop in Orbital Crescent were approved by Watford Borough Council today, May 2, as officers said they would not cause any significant harm to the surrounding area.

The street was once home to several shops, most of which have already been converted into residential flats, and a Costcutter is the only business left.

The unit was formerly home to the haberdashery and upholstery shop, which closed in 2023 after 27 years of business saying it was “no longer profitable” to run the shop in the area.

Three neighbours objected to the plans as they said the area was “overcrowded” and that additional housing would put pressure on existing car parking in the road. 

The plans were previously refused twice as they included building works to the front and rear facades, which officers said was not allowed under the permitted development rules.

Officers recommended the third application for approval due to being “modest in scale” compared to the host building, with a similar appearance to the surrounding area.