An office block could be turned into town centre flats if Bracknell Forest Council grants permission next week.

Development company BMD Edgware Ltd wants to convert One The Braccans on London Road – overlooking the Eastern Road Roundabout – into a block of 47 flats. To do this, the firm needs permission to change the use of the building from business to residential.

Council planning officers are recommending that councillors allow this, when the planning committee discusses it on Thursday, April 18.

Under the plans, 44 of the new flats would be single bedroom, for one person only, and three of the flats would have two bedrooms, for up to three people, across the ground, first and second floors.

Developers also want permission to add two extra storeys to the building to house even more flats. But they have submitted a separate planning application for this, which will be decided at a later date.

Councillors on the planning committee can only consider some aspects of the planned change.

That’s because under ‘permitted development rights’ developers can sometimes make certain changes to the use of land – such as from commercial to residential – without the need for planning permission.

But they still need ‘prior approval’ for certain considerations.

These include whether the change will have an impact on roads, whether new residents will be impacted by noise from nearby businesses, whether they will have adequate light, and whether there will be an increase in flooding or contamination risk.

Planning officers have already considered this and say the plans are acceptable, and are asking councillors to vote in favour.