A PLANNING application has been submitted to turn part of a former Winchester shop into flats.

The unit at 7-8 High Street, formerly home to Closs and Hamblin haberdasher's, could be turned into apartments of varying sizes.

The application was submitted on October 10 on behalf of Hyde-based property developer Shorewood Homes Ltd, who will work with owners Gentian Developments to change the unit's use from class E (commercial, business and service) to class C3 (dwellinghouse).

Director of real estate at Gentian Nick Ekins told the Chronicle his company will retain the ground floor as retail and needs to find a new tenant but with the amount of space currently available in the city it has been difficult to secure a deal.

He said: "There's been lots of interest in the ground floor but we've been stymied by Nando's and the other restaurants moving into the old Debenhams store.

READ MORE: Closs and Hamblin (C&H) shop in Winchester set to close within two years

The unit when C&H traded there (Image: NQ)

"It's extremely unusual to have so much space in Winchester. The last time that happened was when the Brooks Centre opened in 1992."

Mr Ekins said several businesses have expressed interest in moving into the unit, including upmarket venue chain Coppa Club and furniture chain BoConcept, but each of them have pulled out. 

He added: "We are just waiting for someone to make an offer."

There are 12 flats currently planned in the application spanning the first and second floors, while the first floor at the rear of the property on Market Lane will be adapted for access.

The covering letter for the planning proposal said: "The proposed plans show that the smallest one-bed (two-persons) unit offers 59.5m2 GIA relative to the 50m2 minimum requirement. The two-bed (three-persons) unit is 67.6m2 relative to the 61m2 minimum requirement. Meanwhile, the smallest two-bed (four-persons) unit is 93.4m2 GIA, well in excess of the 70m2 minimum requirement."

Gentian Developments, which owns the building, had previously stated its intentions to submit plans to change the three-storey building into residential accommodation with a potential 16 flats over all the upper floors.

There was even an idea of adding a fourth floor, but there is no mention of this in the current planning application.

The covering letter also described the flats as "affordable apartment units".

SEE ALSO: Closs and Hamblin shop prepares to move to new unit in Winchester

Closs and Hamblin had been in the unit since 1988 when it relocated in September 2022 to 2 Walcote Place at the other end of the High Street, near the Law Courts.

The haberdasher moved out after Gentian, who bought the property in 2021, became frustrated when C&H stopped paying rent.

At the time, Mr Ekins said: "We need our cash flow as well. We have a business to support. We appreciate things have gone wrong (for C&H). We help out many small retailers, we are not ogres or feudal landlords, our interest is in making businesses work."

Among other shops, Gentian own the buildings where Fat Face and Sea Salt trade in Winchester city centre.