New life for prime property at Market Place

A businessman in Warminster, Wiltshire, is to breathe new life into former offices in the heart of the town’s Market Place.

Len Colliss, who heads up development firm Collis Properties, is to covert the first and second floor property into six residential apartments, creating work for up to 10 people, such as carpenters and plumbers.

The scheme at 2-4 Market Place, between the Town Hall and historic Chapel of St Lawrence, is due to begin any day this month (June), with completion expected by October.

Collis Properties acquired the freehold to the 3,950 sq ft (1,203 sq m) property for an undisclosed sum in a deal jointly handled by Hughes Ellard and Myddelton & Major.

The ground floor retail units, currently home to Subway, Halifax and Oxfam, are not part of the deal and won’t be affected.

Mr Colliss said: “Planning consent for six flats was already in place and I thought this offered up a good commercial opportunity whilst providing much-needed homes for professionals in the heart of town.

“The high-quality conversion will breathe new life into the former offices and provide welcome work for up to 10 contractors, from carpenters to plumbers, as the economy starts to emerge from recession.”

The flats will have allocated spaces at the rear car park, which is also part of the freehold deal.

Hughes Ellard and Myddelton & Major represented London & City Group of Companies, the former owner, which instructed the consultancies to find a buyer for the upper parts.

The ground floor units were sold off as retail investments on long leases last year.