Portsmouth office block the Connect Centre is given planning permission to become flats

Portsmouth City Council has approved developer Cordage 36 Limited's plans to build 101 flats at the Connect Centre having backed a similar scheme earlier this year.

The application proposed a smaller number of flats at the Kingston Crescent building to allow more larger two- and three-bedroom units to be created.

A statement submitted with the application on by the developer's agent Pegasus Group said this would lessen the impact of the development on the surrounding area.

‘The precedent of utilising the existing site access off Kingston Crescent for residential use is established under prior approval [applications],' it said.

‘The proposal incorporates 48 (32 per cent) residential units fewer than those approved under [the previous application], including 27 (16 per cent) fewer car parking spaces.

‘Therefore, the amount of trips and traffic associated with this application proposals will be reduced in comparison to the extant prior approval which was deemed acceptable.’

A separate application was submitted at the same time to wall off the building's existing undercroft car parking area to create more flats.

Both applications were approved by council planning officers under delegated powers on Thursday.

Permission for the conversion of the building will remain in place for three years.