Hornsey Pool & Amusements into flats

Last year I wrote about the old Hornsey Pool and Amusements building at number 384 and that I couldn't understand how it had gotten into such a state. 

Image courtesy of Alex Pink

I don't like not understanding things, so I went to look at the Islington planning website to see if I could find out more. 

Turns out that the owners have planning permission to turn the whole building into three flats, if they start work by September 2013.

Their application for that planning permission includes a letter from the estate agent that sold them the building and in which the agent refuses to 'take the shop on a to-let basis' because no-one would would be interested in it as a shop. I wonder how that conversation went - flats are a lot easier to shift than shops round here, for the reasons discussed earlier. 

The planning officer's report into the architect's drawings says:

'All units have dual aspect and acceptable light and outlook. Floor areas for all units comply with Planning Standards Guidelines. The ground floor unit and the upper maisonette each has an outdoor amenity space.'

I think that's planning officerese for 'they should be decent enough.'

Number 384 had similar planning in 1984. The then owners started the work and then gave up, I don't know why and I can't think of a way to find out. Drat.