An ongoing saga to convert an Andover chiropractor’s clinic into a house continues after a new application was submitted.

3 Church Close was formerly the home of Chiros, now located on East Street. Following the move, Ian and Christine Waight submitted plans to convert the Grade II property into a dwelling.

Following multiple applications, withdrawals and appeals, plans have now been submitted to obtain the change of use for the property.

2019 saw the first application to convert the property into a home, with previous construction on the land having seen part of the building made into flats. Adverts to potential users of the business premises went unanswered, with enquiries of interest eventually coming to nothing.

However, these plans were later withdrawn by the applicants.

Subsequently, in 2020, new plans were submitted, but were refused by Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) on the grounds of nutrient neutrality. This is due to a 2018 court ruling which means that any development near the Solent is not allowed to add any extra nitrates, which is generally by wastewater, unless they are mitigated elsewhere.

As a result, TVBC currently has 93 planning applications which it would approve but cannot due to nitrate neutrality rules. This is a total of 502 houses that are currently in planning limbo, with an estimate that up to 50 per cent more may be prepared but not yet submitted.

The decision was taken to a planning tribunal, where an inspector had to weigh up the impact of excess nitrates on the area, as well as decide on a separate application for giving listed building work consent.

The inspector decided to allow the appeal on granting listed building consent, saying that it “would ensure that the long term use of the appeal premises is secured, whilst causing minimal harm to the building’s historic fabric.”

However, they denied the appeal on nitrate neutrality, saying they were “unable to ascertain whether the proposal would achieve nutrient neutrality”.

The most recent iteration of the plans include ensuites for bedrooms in the house, as well as soundproofing between different floors.

However, with details of nitrate neutrality yet to be uploaded, it remains to be seen how well this latest application will fare.