Proposals to turn an abandoned office block in Mansfield into 30 residential flats have been given the green light.
The top floors of Ashmead Chambers, in Regent Street in the town centre, were once home to students at West Nottinghamshire College but have been vacant for more than 10 years.
Its ground floor units are still occupied by commercial retailers such as Mark Leeson Hairdressers, Regency Cleaners and the British Heart Foundation.
Permission has been granted for local developer Jack Townsend to create 10 one-bedroom apartments on each of the three upper floors of the building.
Mr Townsend was responsible for the redevelopment of the old Dial pub in the Market Place and told members of Mansfield District Council’s planning committee on Tuesday, 26 May, that demand for one-bedroom flats in Mansfield is ‘crazy’.
He said: “I have a lettings agency in Mansfield and the demand for single-person, one-bedroom flats in Mansfield is crazy. It’s the easiest type of property to let in our agency. If we have a one-bedroom flat, it’s gone straight away.
“I’m very proud to be developing my town centre. I think this is a fantastic opportunity to bring Mansfield town centre back to life, boost the economy and provide homes for blue-collar workers in Mansfield. It would be an honour to do it.”
He added that the average occupier of the flats would likely be between 21 and 35 years old and could be expected to be employed locally by companies such as Sports Direct or Amazon.
The partially empty building has been subject to arson incidents, smashed windows and three break-ins over the past 10 months, and Mr Townsend said it was a “mess inside”.
Planning officer Dan Galpin said that, despite the proposal containing no plans for parking spaces for the 30 residents, highways authority Nottinghamshire County Council had not objected due to the development’s proximity to key services.
Concerns were raised about the fact that all the proposed properties are one-bedroom flats when Mansfield’s local plan expresses a preference for two- to three-bedroom properties where possible, but Mr Galpin said the town centre location and site context made this acceptable.
He added that residents occupying the building could serve as a deterrent to antisocial behaviour and littering in Albert Court, the alleyway to the rear of the property.
He also said that a noise assessment would be completed because of the building’s proximity to Lexis Nightclub and Rush Bar on Clumber Street.
Supporting the proposal, Labour councillor Angie Jackson said: “I think although there are a few concerns about the flats being one-bedroom properties, the applicant has explained the nature of the people who are most likely to use these flats, so that has reassured me.
“Looking at pictures, particularly of the back of the building, I think this is a great opportunity to see a really good development in an area that has been badly neglected. I think it’s really important for the development of the town centre.”
Labour councillor Anne Callaghan agreed.
She said: “It’s repurposing a building that looks shocking in our town centre. It will bring more footfall into our town centre, support regeneration and, if it’s anything like some of the other developments that Mr Townsend has completed, it will be really, really good for our town.”
The building would require only minor external changes to make it more suitable for residential use, including some alterations to the windows.
Labour councillor Rich Tempest Mitchell said: “I echo what the other councillors have said already. That building is probably about as old as me, but it’s ugly, it’s from the 1960s and it needs to be used because otherwise it’s going to fall into rack and ruin or go up in flames at some point.
“The applicant has said that the residents are going to be hard-working people. It’s not one of those buildings that’s going to cause trouble.”
