The decision was made on the basis of the plan to turn offices in Leicester into flats

A bid to convert a city center office block into 18 flats has been rejected over fears the homes would be too small, too dark and too noisy. Planning officers at Leicester City Council have refused an application by Mr V Pala to change the use of the Eldon Street building so it can be converted into new homes.

The applicant provided very little detail about the scheme in the documents it submitted to the authority. However, the drawings suggested that the 18 apartments would all be one-bed, with a combined kitchen and living area in each. Three of the houses would have been on the ground floor of the building. Then there would have been five apartments on each floor, second and third.

However, the proposed flats would have been too small and had inadequate light, council officers said. Officers also expressed concern that there was not enough information in the plans to show that future residents would not be affected by noise from nearby businesses.

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Furthermore, the scheme would require external alterations to the building to fill the brickwork and replace windows and shutters on the ground floor. Demolition work has also been proposed to the rear of the building to create a courtyard area. These works would require full planning permission, not the change of use permission Mr Pala had sought, the council said.

Change of use permission is required when an applicant wishes to use a building for a purpose that falls within a different planning class to that currently permitted – in this case offices for residential use – but only if when no work is required on the outside of the building. building.