Penthouse suites approved on top of Tricorn House

Planning officers at Stroud District Council have today signed off on Oxfordshire Estates Ltd's bid to put an upper storey on the ex-office building - notoriously empty for years - off Cainscross roundabout.

Permission for the three penthouse suites at the top of Tricorn comes as the developer already had approval for 40 other flats in the existing building.

However, one potential snag faces the developer: bats.

In its decision notice, the council has required Oxfordshire Estate Ltd to secure a licence from Natural England for disturbing nearby bats by increasing the height of Tricorn House.

Oxfordshire Estates Ltd have been contacted for comment.

Also outlined in the documents is the allocation of 37 on-site car parking spaces, dedicated and improved pedestrian and vehicular access and secure cycle storage.

Cladding will also create a partial screen to the existing distinctive Brutalist architecture of the building, whilst retaining the iconic shape.

However, although Oxfordshire Estates has submitted the proposals, they do not in fact own the dilapidated building.

Millville Limited, a company registered in Guernsey, bought Tricorn House in 1996.

Despite owning the building for 22 years, and a number of planning application submitted, no significant work has been undertaken on the property.

In May last year David Hagg, the former chief executive of Stroud District Council, revealed that building work was set to start on the dilapidated former DHSS offices, and that he expected plans to be submitted imminently.

“The new developer is looking to add another storey to the property which will require planning permission,” Mr Hagg said. “I expect to see that permission happen.”

When asked to clarify if the properties would be affordable he said: “It’s a private developer, but I would call those prices affordable in comparison to other properties in the area.”

Photo by Carl Hewlett