AN insurance provider in Colchester’s High Street is set to get a new name and look.

A-Plan, which currently has an office in the High Street, was bought out by Howden Broking Group in 2020 for more than £600 million, according to Reuters news agency.

Now, the outside of the A-Plan office is set to be redesigned to reflect the change in tenancy after A-Plan became part of Howden Broking Group, with the merge finalised in 2021.

Real estate firm Savills has sent a letter to Colchester Council requesting premission to replace the A-Plan sign with a Howden sign, which will have a halo illumination.

A section of the letter read: “The proposed signage is of an appropriate scale having regard to the scale of the shopfront and pallet of materials, and the colour is sensitive and respectful of the wider local context.

“Overall, the design of the signage is considered to be appropriate and there will be no unacceptable impacts on the wider setting of the conservation area, or any of the nearby listed buildings.”

Should the planning permission be approved, Howden would be allowed to display the signage for the next 15 years.

Megan Evans, A-Plan Colchester's commercial team leader, said the staff at the high street branch will remain the same.

She said: "As a local brokerage, we are focused on helping our clients get value for money on their home, motor and business insurance, with a friendly and expert team of staff.

"We want to reassure our clients that it’s the same great people, and great service that you’ve come to expect from A-Plan Insurance, but we’ll soon have a new name and new look in our branch."