PLANS to open an ‘aparthotel’ in the city centre have been revealed with a hope of kick-starting the regeneration of a street plagued by anti-social behaviour and drug use.

The empty Phoenix House in Broad Street in Worcester, which was built in the 60s, has been converted into a mix of 17 apartments across four floors.

Nick Carroll Architects has also moved its office into the empty ground floor space.

Permission was granted for the plan by Deansway Regeneration, of which Nick Carroll is a director, by Worcester City Council in April.

Nick Carroll, who is one of the people behind the plan, said the apartments had received some interest and the hope was it would be used by people visiting the city after the coronavirus lockdown.

“Broad Street stands to benefit in having a former run-down building re-purposed for modern life by Livity – an apart-hotel and rental operator who started work on the building during the first lockdown," he said.

“Livity have had a great market response to the apartments which are unique to the city - providing a more Covid-19 resilient environment for young professionals who would prefer self-contained accommodation as opposed to a house share.

“When lockdown finishes they also anticipate a strong aparthotel market for visitors and business users to the city.

“Livity are anticipating that this development will kick start regeneration in the area. Broad Street might have had its fair share of anti-social behaviour in the past but an increase in activity, both day and night, promotes fresh life in the area.

“The final act of regeneration will be the appropriation, by Livity, of a raised planted bed to the side of Deansway next to the Livity building, currently a neglected weed bed full of drug needles.”

The upper floors of the city centre building had been empty for several years, and some parts had fallen into a serious state of disrepair.