Plans for two new retail units and five flats on a major road in Stoke-on-Trent have been refused by the local council.

Back in September, Caldmore Residential Ltd submitted a planning application for the "creation of two ground floor retail units and change of use of part of ground floor and all of first floor to five self-contained apartments" at 247-249 London Road, Stoke.

Planning documents confirmed that the existing photography studio on the ground floor would become new shops, although no further information about the new businesses was provided.

Following the submission of these plans, 115 notification letters were sent to nearby properties and one comment was received, suggesting that the proposals should look to create the "historic street scene".

No further information about the new businesses was provided (Image via planning application).

Stoke-on-Trent City Council refused these plans in November 2024, saying that although "the proposals [would] reasonably increase local footfall and contribute to the local economy, [...] a number of the proposed apartments would lack sufficient private amenity when windows are opened, with single-aspect openings that do not provide sufficient levels of natural light".

The council concluded: "The proposed development would fail to provide an acceptable level of amenity of future occupiers. As such, the application is recommended for refusal."

The full planning application and associated documents can be viewed here.

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