A PLANNING application has been submitted to return two buildings, currently used as an accountant’s office, back to two dwellings.

The buildings, on the corner of the High Street and St Mary’s Street in Ross-on-Wye were historically two separate properties that have since being connected with minor internal alterations and new doorways being added to form a single office block to create the existing offices of Thorne & Co accountants.

Both properties are located within the Ross Conservation Area with the High Street building being listed as a commercial premises spread over four floors and a basement, while the property in St Mary’s Street is also a commercial three-storey property with separate basement. The site does not provide any space for car parking.

The owner, BGD Developments Ltd states that it intends converting the property back into two original buildings, with little to no major alterations, which have no detrimental effect to the character of the listed buildings.

The agent, HDP Architecture states that the plans for the ground floor in the High Street property include removing all the modern partitions to allow for a new kitchen to be fitted.

The first floor’s modern partition will also be removed with the current kitchen area being removed and converted into a bathroom suite. The modern partitions on the second floor will be removed that were initially installed as a fire precaution as it was used as an office. The third floor will remain as it is.

The ground floor of the property in St Mary’s Street will remain unaltered with the existing entrance vestibule to be re-used as the main entrance and the internal doorway to the neighbouring property being blocked up.

A new fireproof partition is proposed to form the dining area and protected corridor from the upper storeys. The external rear yard will be divided to provide external patio area for future occupiers.

Both the High Street property and St Mary’s Street building were Grade II listed in 1972, and both were constructed during the early 19th Century using red brick with round arch windows on the ground floor and moulded eaves.

The application has gone out for consultation with Ross-on-Wye Town Council and other organisations to comment on the proposals.

Comments can be made by the public on the application, number P253096/F by using Herefordshire Council’s planning portal by Thursday, December 11.

For more information about planning applications in your area visit publicnoticeportal.uk .