Flats plan for vacant city centre offices

The upper floors of a city centre building could be transformed into flats as efforts to regenerate the area continue.

Seventy-three apartments would be created at 1-15 Stafford Street in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, above what used to be the Wilkinson store.

According to a planning application lodged by RARB Property Ltd, the ground floor would remain in commercial use, with current tenants like Savers and Ryman set to stay open. Buzz Bingo, which occupies part of the lower ground floor and basement of the 1960s building, would also remain open.

The top two floors of the three-storey building are currently vacant office space, previously used by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Michelle Hughes, who works at Buzz Bingo, told BBC Radio Stoke she would be glad to have people living above them.

"It's something good for the city but I'm a little bit worried about the noise because bingo's a quiet game," she added.

A second planning application proposing to create an atrium by removing an inside courtyard along with external alterations has also been submitted.

In a statement included with the applications, planning agent Emery said the proposal would enable economic development and "lead to aesthetic improvements".

The submission of the plans came shortly after Stoke-on-Trent City Council signed off on its masterplan for Hanley.

The aim of the programme is to redevelop brownfield sites across the area to provide enough housing for 1,800 more people by 2030.

This includes plans to develop Etruscan Square, a seven-acre brownfield site which has stood empty since it was cleared in 2013.

Once the site of Hanley's old bus station, the land was previously earmarked for an arena and hotel but the plans were scrapped and it could now be transformed into 110 homes.

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