The former office site of a housing association in Surbiton will be replaced with a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO for nine people.

Earlier this week, Kingston Council approved plans to convert the former Kingston Churches Housing Association's (KCAH) office, located in Meadway House on Brighton Road, to convert the space into an HMO.

The application, more specifically, sought permission for the "Change of use of part of the ground floor, part of the first floor and the second floor of Meadway House from vacant commercial floorspace (Class E) to a large House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) with a total of 9 rooms and a maximum occupancy of 9 persons (Use Class Sui Generis) with associated external alterations to front entrance door and new dormer window to the rear roof slope".

The application relates to part of the ground and first floors and the second floor of a two-storey, plus roof space, mid-terrace building located to the south west of Brighton Road, Surbiton. 

The surrounding area is mixed-use in character with retail units on the ground floor and residential uses on the upper floors. 

The site has a PTAL of 4 indicating good transport accessibility. Surbiton Station is 400m away at a six-minute walk. The site is within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ).

Previous planning applications in 2022 and 2023 to convert the site into a large house or flats were refused permission.

Letters to 27 neighbouring and nearby properties were sent on 14 January 2026, but the council's planning committee received no representations.

In a planning application document, the project's case officer, Dean Gibson, said: "The principle of creating additional residential units within the application site is acceptable, subject to compliance with Development Plan policies.

According to the Planning Statement, the ground floor of the proposed site is occupied by an estate agency and separate dry cleaning business, Surbiton Dry Cleaners (Credit: Tilly O'Brien)

"According to the Planning Statement, the ground floor is occupied by an estate agency and separate dry cleaning business. Approximately 60% of the first floor is occupied as office space by Kingston Churches Housing Association with the remainder of the first and second floor comprising former office units that have been vacant since December 2020, albeit the planning history for the site is less clear on the exact use/s.

"Whilst a number earlier applications had been refused on the basis of the loss of the existing commercial uses without sufficient justification, in the two most recent applications, details were provided of the marketing process and found to be acceptable.

"On that basis, the applicant has sufficiently demonstrated through the previous submission of cogent and consistent evidence and robust justification that the site is not suitable and that there is no quantitative or qualitative demand for other employment uses. The proposal is therefore consistent with Policies of the Kingston Core Strategy (2012). For the reasons set out above, this is a neutral matter.

"The proposal is for a change of use to a large House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) with a total of 9 rooms and a maximum occupancy of 9 persons (Use Class Sui Generis). The proposal would make a positive contribution to the Council's housing target, which is afforded significant weight, especially in this sustainable location."

The site was advertised on Cattaneo Commercial with a rental price of £11,500 per annum.

The full planning application can be viewed here.