Alterations to the Cornmeter building in Church Street have been given the green light despite fears that they could spell the end for the shop in its present location.

The first floor of the building at 13 Church Street is set to be converted into flats, while the extensions at the back will be demolished and replaced with a new two-storey building.

The scheme, which was given the go-ahead by Waverley's Eastern Planning Committee this evening, will create a total of four new flats on the site - and result in a much smaller retail space. The residential space will be made up of one two-bedroom and three one-bedroom flats.

Councillors agreed to the plans despite lamenting the likely loss of the Cornmeter, which they feared would not be able to operate in the smaller unit.

Waverley planning officer Rebecca Clarke told the meeting the application threw up three issues: the loss of retail space and the likely impact on the neighbours in terms of light levels and privacy.

She said that those factors had to be balanced against the benefits of gaining four new residential units in a sustainable location.

'Unsympathetic extensions.'

Emily Temple, speaking for the scheme, said the proposal would make more efficient use of the retail space as the basement would be used for storage. It would also get rid of the "unsympathetically designed" buildings at the back of the site, she said. Cllr Paul Follows described the loss of retail space as 'significant', while Cllr Martin D'Arcy said the available retail space would be reduced by 50%.

He added: "We're at a period in history where having space is becoming key, with Brexit and Covid. I would have thought that [reducing the space] would affect the viability of the business that's already there."

But Ms Clarke said that although the Cornmeter might have to relocate, the key issue for planning officers is that the retail space would remain.

Cllr Michael Goodridge said the Cornmeter building was a "key anchor shop", adding: "The likely outcome is that this shop will be vacant as a result of this application."

Flats 'too small'.

There were criticisms of the size of the proposed flats as well, with three of the four proposed units smaller than Government guidelines. Cllr George Wilson pointed out that the two-bedroomed flat would be 7.2m sq smaller than considered adequate under National Described Space Standards. "I think this whole pandemic has shown us that people need room," he said. Cllr Follows agreed, saying that the pandemic had underlined people's need for living space, particularly as "hybrid working is here to stay".

"I do think we should object to this based on space standards," he said.

Ms Clarke pointed out that residents would be living near a lot of green open space, adding: "I acknowledge that one of the units would fall short of national space standards but we feel that the size of the flats would be acceptable for the area they are in."

Cllr Steve Cosser said: "Cornmeter, for quite a long tine, has been a very important part of the experience of Godalming and a very wide area. It is a retail service second to none and unparallelled elsewhere.

"Is there any way we can do anything about the loss of a significant retail unit of this size? It anchors a large part of the Godalming retail experience." But Ms Clarke said that as the retail element of the building would remain there was no scope for objection on the grounds that it would be smaller than before. 'A good scheme'.

Cllr David Else said he approved of the scheme: "It's a great shame to lose a facility for Godalming like the Cornmeter, that many of us who live in the area have used for many years," he acknowledged.

"This current crisis has shown us that our High Streets are changing more rapidly than we ever thought they were going to.

"We have got to keep things viable, and I think this is a good scheme."

Councillors voted by nine votes to six to approve the plans.

Alterations to the Cornmeter building in Church Street have been given the green light despite fears that they could spell the end for the shop in its present location.

The first floor of the building at 13 Church Street is set to be converted into flats, while the extensions at the back will be demolished and replaced with a new two-storey building.

The scheme, which was given the go-ahead by Waverley's Eastern Planning Committee this evening, will create a total of four new flats on the site - and result in a much smaller retail space. The residential space will be made up of one two-bedroom and three one-bedroom flats.

Councillors agreed to the plans despite lamenting the likely loss of the Cornmeter, which they feared would not be able to operate in the smaller unit.

Waverley planning officer Rebecca Clarke told the meeting the application threw up three issues: the loss of retail space and the likely impact on the neighbours in terms of light levels and privacy.

She said that those factors had to be balanced against the benefits of gaining four new residential units in a sustainable location.

'Unsympathetic extensions.'

Emily Temple, speaking for the scheme, said the proposal would make more efficient use of the retail space as the basement would be used for storage. It would also get rid of the "unsympathetically designed" buildings at the back of the site, she said.

Cllr Paul Follows described the loss of retail space as 'significant', while Cllr Martin D'Arcy said the available retail space would be reduced by 50%.

He added: "We're at a period in history where having space is becoming key, with Brexit and Covid. I would have thought that [reducing the space] would affect the viability of the business that's already there."

But Ms Clarke said that although the Cornmeter might have to relocate, the key issue for planning officers is that the retail space would remain.

Cllr Michael Goodridge said the Cornmeter building was a "key anchor shop", adding: "The likely outcome is that this shop will be vacant as a result of this application."

Flats 'too small'.

There were criticisms of the siz e of the proposed flats as well, with three of the four proposed flats smaller than Government guidelines.

Cllr George Wilson pointed out that the two-bedroomed flat would be 7.2m sq smaller than considered adequate under National Described Space Standards.

"I think this whole pandemic has shown us that people need room," he said.

Cllr Follows agreed, saying that the pandemic had underlined people's need for living space, particularly as "hybrid working is here to stay".

"I do think we should object to this based on space standards," he said.

Ms Clarke pointed out that residents would be living near a lot of green open space, adding: "I acknowledge that one of the units would fall short of national space standards but we feel that the size of the flats would be acceptable for the area they are in."

Cllr Steve Cosser said: "Cornmeter, for quite a long time, has been a very important part of the experience of Godalming and a very wide area. It is a retail service second to none and unparallelled elsewhere.

"Is there any way we can do anything about the loss of a significant retail unit of this size? It anchors a large part of the Godalming retail experience."

But Ms Clarke said that as the retail element of the building would remain there was no scope for objection on the grounds that it would be smaller than before.

'A good scheme'.

Cllr David Else said he approved of the scheme: "It's a great shame to lose a facility for Godalming like the Cornmeter, that many of us who live in the area have used for many years," he acknowledged.

"This current crisis has shown us that our High Streets are changing more rapidly than we ever thought they were going to.

"We have got to keep things viable, and I think this is a good scheme."

Councillors voted by nine votes to six to approve the plans.

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