Churchill Retirement Living has submitted two new planning applications to Wiltshire Council seeking permission to convert additional retail units at Orchard Lodge into retirement apartments.
The developer, which completed the 39-apartment retirement complex and four commercial units on The Pippin in 2021, has applied to change the use of Units 1 and 3 from commercial (Use Class E) to residential (Use Class C3).
Both units have remained vacant since the building was completed. Each application proposes creating a self-contained one-bedroom apartment within the existing structure, with no external alterations or loss of parking.
When planning permission for Orchard Lodge was originally granted in March 2021, the Planning Inspectorate specifically removed permitted development rights to protect the four ground-floor commercial units. The condition was intended to help maintain Calne’s town centre vitality by encouraging new retail or business occupiers.
However, Churchill has since struggled to let the units. The company argues that despite being marketed on both long- and short-term leases, no offers have been received and the spaces have never been used.
Last year, Churchill was granted permission on appeal to convert Unit 4 to a retirement apartment after Wiltshire Council initially refused the change of use over fears it would harm the town centre’s retail offer. The planning inspector visited the site in October 2024, noting that the unit had been on the market for over a year with no interest and lacked a traditional shopfront window, making it less viable for retail use.
Churchill now contends that the same circumstances apply to Units 1 and 3, describing the conversions as a practical solution to long-term vacancies within the development.
If approved, the latest applications would mean three of the four original commercial units at Orchard Lodge will have been converted to residential use, leaving just one available for business occupation.
You can view the full applications on the Wiltshire Council planning portal:
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