Former NatWest bank in Cambridgeshire town centre could become flats

A building previously used by NatWest bank could become six flats if planning permission is granted. An application to convert the building on the high street in St Neots was submitted on April 25.

The NatWest branch closed in February 2023 after a bank spokesperson said just five people regularly used the bank in 2021. It also saw 113 regular business customers in the same year.

Between January 2019 and January 2022, counter transactions for personal customers in St Neots dropped by 65 per cent, a NatWest spokesperson said. They said this was due to a change in banking habits with people primarily using mobile and online banking.

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A document submitted to Huntingdonshire District Council on behalf of the applicant said: "The site is located in the St Neots Conservation Area but the building is not listed nor within the curtilage of a listed building." It added: "There are a number of historically significant buildings in the vicinity which contribute positively to the conservation area, however the application building itself does not contain notable features of historic or architectural interest and it has a neutral impact on the conservation area."

The two-storey building would have three one-bedroom flats on each floor under the proposals. A flood risk assessment found the building is at a 'very low' risk of flooding.

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