An office block in an Essex town which has laid empty for more than a year could be turned into flats.

Shivisi Investments Ltd. wants to turn the upper floors of Trinity House in Waltham Abbey into 10 new apartments, according to a planning notice submitted to Epping Forest District Council.

According to a covering letter by Allen Planning Ltd accompanying the notice, the building was previously used as offices but has been left vacant for a year, with the last tenants having moved out on July 12, 2021.

The bottom floors have already been given approval to be converted into an additional two apartments, according to the letter.

A section read: “We can confirm that it is not proposed to undertake any external alterations to this building as part of these proposals.

“The site is formed by a three storey (with small part fourth storey) curved office building at the junctions of Sun Street and Sewardstone Road in Waltham Abbey.

A later section read: “The site is currently vacant in its entirety but was last used as offices. In addition to the extant approval of the upper floors and there is also a prior notification consent for the ground floor to be converted to form two residential apartments.”

The developers are proposing to convert the building under permitted development rights, which allow improvement or extensions to buildings without needing planning permission.

There is no article four direction for Trinity House, an order which forces landowners to seek full planning permission before converting their sites, according to the letter.

As a result, council officers are likely to decide on whether to approve the plans, rather than the council’s planning committee.

According to the letter, there will be no material issues from flooding or ground contamination or noise disturbances.

The flats will also “adequate natural light” and would not increase the number of cars on the roads compared with the site’s previous office use. However, there is no dedicated off-site parking.

Consultation over changing the use of the site in Sewardstone Road from office space to residential use is set to end on August 8.