A planning application to convert the first and second floors of Pearl Assurance House in the town centre to form six self-contained residential flats has been submitted to Woking Borough Council.

The three-storey site comprises two retail units at ground floor level - No. 28 High Street and No. 2 Commercial Way - with additional office space on the upper floors.

The retail unit at 2 Commercial Way is currently occupied by a Woking & Sam Beare Hospice charity shop with the remaining building, formerly occupied by Stephen Bishop formal menswear, being vacant.

Pearl Assurance House stands across the end of the wedge of shops and offices which run from the railway station along High Street and Commercial Way, and faces the open square alongside Victoria Way.

The planning statement notes that “the primary access to the upper floors is through a central doorway to the west of the building” and that “the host building is three-storeys in height and benefits from a flat roof form over”.

The application proposes “that the six flats would be made up of four studio units and two two-bedroom properties. The proposed residential entrance lobby on the ground floor would be isolated from the retained commercial units that would occupy the majority of the ground floor, allowing for complete separation between the proposed commercial/residential uses on site.

“The existing side entrance, accessible via High Street, will be retrofitted to form a separate entrance to the dedicated refuse, recycling storage, plus secure cycle storage for the residential occupants of the building. The front and side access points, will remain for the retained ground floor commercial units.”

It also notes that “the existing building, supports large windows to all elevations, providing good levels of daylight to all habitable rooms.”

However, no vehicular access or parking are to be provided given the site’s location on High Street and its proximity to Woking railway station which is just a few minutes’ walk away.

The proposal also highlights the multiple bus services on offer along the High Street and that “as such, the site is considered to be accessible with good level of public transport accessibility to and from the site”.