PLANS to turn a former Great Malvern nightclub into flats have been approved.
Priors Croft, a Victorian mansion opposite Malvern Theatres in Grange Road, will be converted into six flats by developer Hillrow Homes.
An old coach house at the back of the building will be demolished to make way for two additional apartments.
The distinctive building, with its ‘fairytale’ tower and Tudor-style turrets, was once home to the Malvern Hills Trust and has also been used as a council building, an estate agents and a nightclub.
But it has been empty for several years and Malvern Hills District Council’s planning officers felt the development would be an acceptable one, “in keeping with the character of the area”.
Malvern Civic Society said the reuse of Priors Croft was “encouraging” but warned against “the use of inappropriate and intrusive non-traditional materials, uncharacteristic of the conservation area”.
“Their use in other buildings in the area, such as in the theatre opposite, should not be allowed to set a precedent for further use,” the society said.
The group said Priors Croft was built for landowner Oliver Mason in the 1850s and was originally known as Reginald’s Tower.
According to plans submitted to the council by the developer Hillrow Homes, the building has “a distinctive appearance, in a Gothic style, is within the Great Malvern Conservation Area, and near to the Grade I listed Priory.
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“Priors Croft is a prominent and characterful building, with a Baronial tower and steeply pitched gables, which is considered to make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area.”
The approved plan is designed to include “minimal” changes to the exterior of the property.
A previous scheme had included the construction of a four-bedroom house at the back of Priors Croft.
The detached building that forms part of the latest plans has a smaller overall footprint.
There will be 13 parking spaces on the site, including two for visitors. Electric vehicle charging points will also be included.
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