Former high street bank could become office block

A former bank could become an office block under plans submitted to a Surrey local authority.

Spelthorne Borough Council has received an application to repurpose the building on Staines High Street to create more than 13,000 square feet of office space.

The scheme will use the "building's traditional appearance" for its frontage and add a new third and fourth floor, planning documents read.

Office and co-working space will cater to start-up businesses, small enterprises and growing companies, they add.

Consumer group Which? said in July that 6,871 bank and building society branches had closed since January 2015.

This represents 69% of the total that were open at the start of 2015, it added.

BBC South East has reported on a number of closures across Surrey in recent years.

However, replacement banking hubs are planned or appearing in parts of the county, such as Dorking, Goldalming and Oxted.

Spelthorne Borough Council will consider the planning application in November, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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