DH and I have found a potential conversion, it's currently commercial premises but with planning consent to convert to live/work premises (apparently on a 50/50 basis). But we don't actually want to work there, we wanted to convert it into a flat to live in.
We're a bit green about the details of planning permission - does anyone know what kind of permission we'd need to live there on a residential only basis, would it need a whole separate planning application? Does permission for live/work mean that we'd have to have some kind of business operating from there, or is it more that it gives us the option to do so? We both WOHM at the moment, but there is the possibility that we could do some of our work from home - would that be enough or would there have to be a formally registered company? And if we did that, would it mean paying business rates - does it cost more to live in a live/work premises than to live in a purely residential place?
We're looking at getting formal/legal advice about all this soon, but it would be good to get some initial answers right now! TIA