45 High Street Dartford: Eight-Flat Plan Refused Consent

Dartford Borough Council has refused consent for eight flats inside 45 High Street, the Grade II* listed Georgian house in the town centre.

The decision notice is dated 26 October 2026. It gives four reasons, and three of them say the works would cause “substantial, irreversible adverse harm” to the building. (Decision notice, DA/26/00912/LBC)

We reported in September that the Georgian Group had asked the council to refuse the scheme unless a proper heritage statement was supplied: 45 High Street Dartford: Heritage Group Urges Refusal. No such statement was added. The council has now refused.

What was refused

The applicant, Old Civic House Ltd, sought listed building consent for:

• a change of use
• demolition of the existing roof
• a new roof extension with a flat top and dormers to the front and rear
• a roof terrace
• internal and external alterations
• eight flats on the upper floors and in the roof, with commercial space on the ground floor

The four reasons

The decision notice says:

1. no appraisal or heritage impact assessment came with the application, so the effect on the building’s significance was never shown
2. the works would remove existing fabric and architectural features
3. the alterations would harm the building’s character, appearance and fabric
4. there was not enough detail of the knock-on works, such as those needed to divide the building into flats

What the officer found inside

The case officer’s report goes further than the notice. It says the floor plans show the main staircase being taken out. The report calls the staircase “a key feature of the Listed Building due to its design, siting, scale and contribution to the internal spacing”.

It also objects to the loss of the central corridor, which “runs in the middle of the building creating an important symmetry either side of the double bay feature”.

On the roof, the report says officers on earlier site visits were “not made aware of any fundamental concerns with the health of the existing roof”. It describes the existing double-pitched valley roof as sitting “low and discreet”, and the proposed replacement as “bulky”.

The report adds that the application did not show the scheme would meet the Building Regulations, or how fire and sound separation between flats would be achieved in the old fabric. (Delegated report, DA/26/00912/LBC, 26 October 2026)

Who objected

Two national amenity societies replied, and both said the application should be refused as it stood:

• The Georgian Group said that without a suitable heritage statement “the impact of the proposals cannot be assessed”
• Historic Buildings & Places said it was “not opposed to the principle of a change of use”. It asked for a room-by-room survey of original fireplaces, plasterwork, doors and stairs. It also said “a reduction in the number of apartments may be needed to minimise harm”

One other comment was received. It agreed the building needs a new use but said the plans ignored “the whole internal layout of the listed building”.

Not the end for the building

The council’s report does not rule out flats. It says a change of use “may be acceptable”, but only if the owner can show the works would not harm what makes the building special. It also accepts that “securing a long-term use of the Listed Building is a potential benefit”.

So the route open to the owner is either a fresh application with a full heritage assessment, or an appeal. The notes on the decision notice say an appeal to the Secretary of State must be made within six months of receiving the decision.

The building

45 High Street is a large late 18th century house of three storeys in red brick. Its listing describes two full-height bays, a pedimented doorway and a lamp hanging from an ornate scroll bracket. It sits in the Dartford Town Centre Conservation Area.

The planning history shows it was the council’s own offices for decades. A 1950 entry records new committee rooms as an “extension to council offices”, and a 1970 entry an office extension “over council chamber”. It was converted to offices again in 2011.

What it means for you

• The building stays as it is for now. Nothing in the refused scheme can go ahead.
• If the owner appeals, the Planning Inspectorate decides, not the council.
• If a new application is made, it will appear on the council’s planning register with a fresh consultation period. Search for “45 High Street”.

Sources: Dartford Borough Council planning register, DA/26/00912/LBC, including the decision notice and delegated report of 26 October 2026.