10:50am Monday 8th February 2010
By David Paine
OFFICES above shops in Worcester City centre are to be converted into apartments despite councillors’ concerns over their style and loss of employment potential.
Eight one-bedroom and three two-bedroom flats are to be created above the ground floor units between 17 and 19 Mealcheapen Street.
One shop is currently home to Acorns Children’s Hospice, the others being the former What’s Cooking and Shades hairdressers.
The shop frontages will not be affected by the works.
A previous application to convert the empty offices, which are on three floors, into apartments had been turned down in June 2008 because planners believed, at that time, the space would be better used to house businesses.
However, none of the units have been filled since then but some members of Worcester City Council’s planning committee said that was hardly surprising given the fact the country had been in the grip of a recession.
Councillor Alan Amos said: “We don’t need any more of these rabbit hutches. The city centre should be a place for work.”
Nick Kay, planning officer, said the site had been marketed “in an acceptable manner” since the previous application was refused in 2008 and said the lack of demand for the offices meant he felt it was now suitable to go ahead with the coversion.
Councillor Mike Layland said he felt small businesses were working from home in the current economic climate and addded: “Two years does seem a bit premature but what’s the alternative?”
Coun Amos said he felt it was convenient that only 11 units would be created – one below the threshold that requires the developer to include a percentage of affordable housing.
But he was informed by Mr Kay that it was not possible to create any more space.
A new secure brick bin store will be created at the rear of the premises and Councillor Roger Knight suggested the council should have access to the keys in emergency situations in the hope of avoiding problems with bins not being collected simply because the gates were locked.
Due to the site’s central location, there is no provision for parking.
Six of the committee voted in favour of approving the plans, three voted against and two abstained.
As a result, developer Worcester One Ltd will pay £3,844 under a planning agreement towards providing educational facilities at Stanley Road Primary School and Nunnery Wood High School, as well as £6,931 towards improving Fort Royal Park play facilities, Diglis playing fields, Lansdowne Crescent allotments and other “casual informal open space” in the city centre.
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