New lease of life for historic gatehouse

A Grade II listed building could be given a new lease of life as developers apply for it to become a family home.

The Gatehouse in Worcester, near Mount Battenhall Retirement Village, can house older people, under a change of use of the wider site that was approved in 2017.

A statement to Worcester City Council said: "The change of use of the building to... dwelling house will allow the building to be brought back into a viable use, as it will be saleable to a wider audience and can be used as a family home."

Plans have been submitted to Worcester City Council and a consultation will end on 11 December.

The building, also known as St Mary's Lodge, on Battle Road had been vacant since 2016, the document said.

It had been advertised for sale since 2020 and not sold and feedback indicated this was predominantly "due to having a number of stairs and being large with multiple reception rooms and bedrooms".

The application therefore sought to return St Mary's Lodge "to a dwelling", from the use of "elderly living" with permission to be residential accommodation in connection with the retirement village on the wider site.

The statement, prepared on behalf of applicant ERL (Worcester) Ltd, said the three-storey building included three bedrooms, three bathrooms and three reception rooms.

Proposals include putting in railings to define the boundary of the house.

A woodland walk, that serves residents of the retirement scheme, will remain, so the "only work associated with the application is the installation of minimal domestic fencing".

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