Plans to turn offices into flats given green light

Plans to convert three former office buildings in Leicester into 62 flats have been given the green light.

Leicester City Council's planning department approved the application, which seeks to change 1-7 Grey Friars from offices to a block of self-contained flats.

Of the 62 flats, six would be studio apartments, 48 would be one-bed and eight would be two-bed.

An officer report on the proposal said the existing buildings on the site "cannot provide offices capable of meeting occupier requirements for flexible and energy-efficient working environments".

"Therefore, bringing these large empty buildings back into use, means that the redevelopment for residential purposes is acceptable in principle", the report said.

The report continued, stating that some of the site's buildings are Grade II listed and the site is within the Grey Friars Conservation Area, meaning the buildings cannot be demolished.

Also in the plans are a commercial unit on the ground floor of 7 Grey Friars, and two cycle storage shelters at the rear of the property, with capacity for 20 bikes.

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