Brewery's old offices to be converted into flats

Empty offices last used by a brewery in Wolverhampton will be converted into new flats.

The former Marston's training centre in Summerfield Road will be turned into 18 one and two-bed flats, after plans were approved by the city council.

The pub company announced last month it was selling its 40% stake in Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company to Carlsberg for £206m.

This brought nearly 200 years of brewing in Wolverhampton to an end for the firm, which began with Banks and Company at the Park Brewery in 1875.

The former offices lie on the edge of the city's West Park and in the shadow of the 149-year-old brewery.

Wolverhampton’s planners said the proposal was "a positive re-use of a vacant historic building".

In a report, they said alterations were "sympathetic to the existing building and to the character and appearance of the conservation area".

The proposed development "is considered as to have no adverse neighbour impact", planners added.

A statement included with the application said the conversion would introduce new tenants and owners into three empty floors.

It added: "If left as is, it is likely to fall into a state of disrepair."

The statement said that although works involved in the conversion would see some internal alterations, it was "minimal to achieve the design".

It said the proposed development would provide a suitable purpose for an existing building "where there is high demand for its proposed usage and low demand for its current/previous use".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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