Offices in Stroud that were changed to residential use will have to be returned to their former status – unless Stroud planners agree with a retrospective bid for the work.

The original offices, above a former pizza takeaway business at 26 Gloucester Street, were converted into four-bedroomed duplex accommodation in January 2014, and the address on the corner of Gloucester and Bath Streets is listed as having changed hands for £140,500 in May 2020.

Amberley-based Andersen Architecture are now seeking the approval on behalf of owner, Mr and Mrs Clarke, of Corse, for the 126 square metre property, having confirmed that the alteration work took place in 2014.

In a design and access statement, the architects state: "The upper floors have provided residential accommodation previously and this retrospective planning application has been submitted to formalise it use and to retained as such for the foreseeable future".

Nationally, the success rate for retrospective planning applications is reported at 88% of retrospective applications.

However, for a planned, future bid to change office space into residential, new rules came into force in August 2021.

According to consultants at Planning Design, the property must have been vacant for three months before an application for prior approval can be made.

A spokesman said: "If tenants occupy the property an application cannot be made. The building must have been a shop, office, or other Class E use for at least two years before the application."

In a conservation area, any conversion of the ground floor will also require a Heritage Impact Assessment.