Flats plan for budget shop in Worcester

A former budget shop looks set to be converted into flats under new plans.

The building left empty by the closure of bargain shop Poundstretcher in Worcester’s St Martin’s Quarter would be converted into a mix of one-and-two-bed flats under plans by developer Cedar Worcester.

Worcester City Council’s planning committee meets on Thursday (October 28) with a recommendation from officers that the plan is approved.

A decision will be made by councillors – rather than by the council’s planning officers – at the request of Cllr Lynn Denham over the “principle of development, car parking, inappropriate use and lack of facilities and poor standard of accommodation for future occupants.”

A report from city council planning officers said: “The loss of retail is a consideration which is balanced against the provision of housing [with] accommodation being provided in buildings which are currently vacant without active use for the most part.

“The mix of units in this location is considered to be suitable.”

The city’s Poundstretcher store closed in September last year after the company went into administration.

Part of the building is locally listed and most of it – Poundstretcher and Ladbrokes aside – has been empty for more than a decade and has failed to attract any interest.

Betting shop Ladbrokes would also close to make way for the flats and no new car parking spaces would be provided.

Cedar Worcester said the coronavirus lockdown and rise in people working from home as well as the drop in footfall and increase in online shopping over a number of years has made the units unattractive to potential retail tenants.

A statement included with the application said: “The proposed development will regenerate a locally important building which has been underused for a decade in its current guise and for half a century prior to that.

“Its development is consistent with the direction of travel of national policy and will assist significantly in helping local policy to achieve its objectives of which it is also concordant.

“The proposed dwellings occupy a sustainable and accessible location, providing additional, affordable choice in the housing market and contributing to a challenging city-wide housing delivery goal.”