James Street
Giving New Life to a Locally Listed Landmark
The background
A historic pub with potential
for modern living
This locally listed building in the small town of Walles had plenty of character, thanks to its past life as a public house with accommodation upstairs. Sitting near the town centre, the property had been vacant for years and was no longer viable as a pub. The client wanted to bring this historic building back to life by converting it into residential flats.
Project Details
Location: Swansea
Value: £85,000 → £260,000
Rental: £350 pcm → £2,500 pcm
Timeline: 5-6 months
The Numbers
Home Buyer Report: £400
Refurbishment Costs: £85,000
Architect: £10,000
Furniture: £5,000
Annual Rental Income: £30,000 pa
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The brief
Turning a vacant pub into flats while keeping costs down
The goal was to create six flats while keeping the existing layout as intact as possible to stick to a tight budget. The design needed to respect the building’s history and work within the constraints of its locally listed status.
The challenges
Planning setbacks and flood risk adjustments
Planning permission proved tricky. Natural Resources objected to having flats on the ground floor due to flood risks. To address this, we reworked the design to include two new commercial units on the ground floor while reducing the number of flats to smaller units on the first floor. This compromise met the council’s requirements and gave the building a mixed-use purpose that added vibrancy to the area.
By combining smart design with careful planning, we delivered a project that brought a valuable historic property back into use, balancing modern needs with its local significance.
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Project Timeline
Apr 2018
Found Property
Sept 2018
Exchanged
Apr 2019
Refurb Starts
Sept 2019
Refurb Complete
Oct 2019
Tenants Move in
Project Scope
→ Design Appraisal
→ Existing Drawings
→ Concept Drawings
→ Full Planning Permission Application
→ Building Regulation Drawings & Application
→ Construction Project Management
→ Interior Design
→ Furniture Selection
→ HMO Licencing
→ 3D Virtual Tour
Related Project
Parish Mews
Location: Cardiff
Value: £85,000 → £260,000
Rental: £350 pcm → £2,500 pcm
Timeline: 5-6 months