Flood fears halt flats plan for former Rustons and Lloyd solicitors’ office in Newmarket

Plans to turn a former town solicitors’ office into 15 flats have been thrown out because of flooding risks.

Work started last year on the conversion of Beaufort House, the former offices of Rustons and Lloyd in Newmarket High Street, into flats but planners have now ruled the development should cease because of the risk flooding could pose to future residents.

Luton-based developer Naveed Ahmed, of Novum Developments Ltd, first submitted a prior approval application to West Suffolk Council planners back in January 2022.

He wanted to convert the imposing Victorian building into 15 flats. An earlier planning application was withdrawn but then re-submitted by the developer. Town councillors voiced their concerns over the proposals based on the lack of parking, but it was district planners’ label of an unacceptable flood risk that has seen the scheme rejected.

According to a report by case officer Amy Murray, the building is in flood zone three and is at high risk of flooding associated with the Newmarket Brook.

“The proposed development constitutes a more vulnerable development when compared to the existing use as offices which is classed as less vulnerable,” she said.

The report added that flood resistance measures had been proposed by the applicant around the perimeter of the site such as flood gates to the front and rear and raising the thresholds the pedestrian access along the High Street. Within the building there would be raised floor levels for the ground floor flats, tanking of the basement and flood resistant door and windows.

But according to the planning officer, while these might reduce the risk, fast flowing water of significant depth could still enter the site.

“This could result in a hazard rating of danger for all and occupiers may be unsafe and not able to evacuate the building,” said the report.

The applicant’s agent, Zafar Khan, said they had consulted flood prevention experts and said he was confident measures suggested would provide much improved protection from flooding and added that if the premises were not used for what he called much-needed housing, they would have a very limited alternative use.

Before the installion of improved drainage systems at the junction of the High Street and The Avenue, both streets were prone to flooding and on occasion the High Street had seen torrents of water flooding businesses.