A historic warehouse near Newark town centre will be turned into a business hub with co-working office space and a new cafe.
Newark and Sherwood District Council approved the scheme during a planning committee meeting on Tuesday 5 October , giving permission for the conversion of the former warehouse in The Wharf.
The plans will see the empty red-brick site and its connected buildings converted into the new shared office space and a “vibrant” cafe area.
This cafe, planning documents say, will be in a fitted-out, 10-foot shipping container, and will include seating above and opposite the container.
Developers also plan to repoint damaged brickwork, refurbish the windows and doors, replace a damaged roof, erect a new wall and new roofing, and create timber decking.
The historic site lies within Newark’s town centre conservation area, connecting to buildings including the Grade II listed Handley House, which dates back about 300 years to the early 18th Century.
Approving the development at Tuesday’s meeting, councillors welcomed the scheme.
Councillor Rob Crowe (Con), who represents Devon ward, said: “I think this a great plan, it’s bringing a disused building back into use virtually within the town centre.
“There’s plenty of car parking, I’m fully in favour of this.”
Cllr Mathew Skinner (Con), who represents Beacon, added: “As Cllr Crowe has said, this is bringing an empty building back into use and this [meets] my principles.
“I look forward to the economic benefit and the first success story from this building.
“However, my concern would be, and I’d perhaps suggest we’ll need to keep our finger on the pulse, to up our game, because we have a fantastic success rate at The Beacon [office park]. This development would potentially challenge that.
“But I’m confident there’s enough business and people in the town who need a space. The world has changed, the way of working has changed, and I’m confident this type of space can address this.”
Newark Town Council did not provide any objections to the plans but requested a thorough bat survey is undertaken on the vacant site.
The council also requested suitable “mitigation” was put in place regarding car parking.
Newark and Sherwood District Council’s conservation team viewed the development would “improve the condition of the building”, while also reinstating some of its traditional qualities.
The scheme was recommended for approval and unanimously given the green light by councillors.
