The Department for
Communities and Local Government held a consultation in the summer of 2013 to
discuss changes to the legal requirements governing the use of high street
properties. This particular meeting centred on the legal process of changing a
shop into a residence, and recommended that the power to change use ultimately
rest with local councils, while the secretary of state retain the right to
overturn rejections if deemed unreasonable.
This particular
consultation may have dealt with the conversion of shops into houses, but it
brings other issues to mind, as well. What if a homeowner would like to turn
their residence into a shop? The decision to grant change of use still rests
with the council.
By and large, your
request for change of use is going to depend on local and specific variables.
That said, councils are often keen to grant this sort of activity, as it is as
a benefit for local economies. However, certain considerations must be taken
into account, including the following:
·
The
potential loss of economic health for the neighbourhood
·
The
need to provide additional services as a result of the conversion
· The
impact that the conversion would have neighbourhood’s or area’s local character
·
The
ability to provide parking for the area
·
The
increase in rubbish produced because of the conversion
If you are considering
adding a shop to your property, you will probably find the council supportive.
Resistance is much more likely to come from other homeowners in the area, who
may be concerned that the introduction of a new shop may create noise, traffic
and other disturbances.
House Conversions
Can Be a Goldmine
There are plenty of
reasons to consider converting your home into a shop, not least the ability to
carve out a substantial living from home. Today, more people than ever before
are working from home and telecommuting, and that requires some home office
modifications. However, brick and mortar services are still the mainstay – even
in today’s digital age.
With that in mind,
let’s take a look at a few home conversion ideas that could see you turning
your residence into a commercial workhorse:
·
Turn
Your Home into a Retail Shop
This is a complicated conversion, but it
can be a serious money-maker if you live in an area that doesn’t have that many
retail outlets to begin with. Know your market and make sure that the products
you are planning on offering are actually in demand. Once you have done your
research, applied for the conversion and received permission, then you’ll have
plenty of work ahead of you. To begin with, you may need to take out a wall or
two to open the space up. In addition to this, you will want to go online in search of shop supplies and shelving that you can use to fit out the space. Just
remember: if you live in a highly residential neighbourhood that does not have
many retailers to begin with, then local residents will become your de facto
target customers.
·
Turn
Your Home into a Boutique Hotel
This conversion is probably going to be
easier to get permission for, since it will not do much to change the character
of the neighbourhood. Of course, the success of your boutique hotel (or even a
guestroom for rent) will depend largely on the desirability of your location.
If there is not a local attraction bringing people to this area to begin with,
then it will probably not be successful. If you choose to go this route,
consider listing your room or house with online directories such as airbnb.
·
Turn
Your Home into a Restaurant or Café
There is a widely perpetuated myth out
there that restaurant failure rates are sky high. Many people seem to be under
the impression that 90 per cent of all restaurants opened end up failing in
short order. The real failure rate is closer to 60 per cent, according to an
article published in Bloomberg Businessweek. This may still seem high,
but it’s right on par with the success rate of many small businesses across the
board. If you know the business and have the capital, converting your home to a
restaurant could be highly profitable.
About the Author:
ShopSupplies is a company in Australia that
specialises in fittings and shelving. They offer a large selection of display
systems, showcases, counters, slat panels, and other Shop Supplies shelving
solutions.
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