'Dilapidated' town centre building to be revamped

A "dilapidated and unsightly" building in a Leicestershire town centre is set to be turned into flats.

The Marlborough Centre in Belvoir Road, Coalville, will be redeveloped by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) as part of a £4.5m project.

The authority secured permission from its own planning department on Monday to create 12 flats inside the building and give its exterior a facelift.

This will include new frontages for the shops on the ground floor, as the council seeks to regenerate the heart of the town.

NWLDC said when the plan was submitted in 2022 that the work was necessary as the building’s current appearance, including peeling paint, has been “detracting” from the area’s appearance for some time.

The authority described the site as “dilapidated” and “unsightly”, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A neighbouring unit facing Owen Street will be knocked down through the works.

Meanwhile, “poor condition” extensions in the rear courtyard of the centre are also set to be demolished.

Approving the scheme, planning officers did raise some concern that future residents would not have any outdoor living space, with no private garden or balconies proposed.

However, they said the site is in walking distance of multiple parks.

They added the homes are likely to be occupied by students or professionals, rather than families, so the lack of outdoor space would likely be less of an issue.

Ultimately, they concluded the work would “bring an underutilised facility back in to a long-term sustainable use”.

As such, the benefits “outweigh” any harm from the proposal, they said.

The approval follows work in Marlborough Square which has seen the area’s former car park ripped up and replaced with granite paving.

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