A former Halifax bank in Kingsbury could be used for a specialist precious metals testing business involving the melting of scrap jewellery to check its gold content.
The plans relate to the ground floor of 469-471 Kingsbury Road, close to Kingsbury Underground station. The premises were previously occupied by Halifax.
An application has now been submitted to Brent Council by Archaize Ltd seeking confirmation that the proposed use would be lawful.
Scrap jewellery would be melted on site
Planning documents say small quantities of scrap jewellery would be melted using 2kg induction furnaces.
The process, commonly known as precious metal assaying, is used to test the purity and gold content of material.
The applicant says the operation would be small-scale and would not involve manufacturing or producing jewellery.
A maximum of four people would work at the premises, with proposed opening hours of 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday.
The documents say there would be no heavy machinery, large-scale metal processing or external industrial storage.
Flats above former bank
There are two residential floors above the former bank, but the applicant says all of the proposed work would take place inside the ground-floor unit.
Any fumes created during the melting process would be captured through internal extraction and directed through an existing ventilation outlet. No new external flue or machinery is proposed.
The application is for a Certificate of Lawfulness rather than conventional planning permission.
Archaize Ltd argues that the former bank use and the proposed light industrial use both fall within Class E, meaning the change would not amount to a material change of use requiring planning permission.
The application was registered by Brent Council in August and is awaiting a decision.
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