PLANNING officers have given prior approval to convert a Newton Abbot town centre bank into flats.

The former Barclays Bank premises in Courtenay Street, which closed at the end of November, is earmarked for change of use to create 16 flats.

The four-storey building had Barclays Bank at ground floor with associated offices and training rooms above.

The application was for approval for the change of use of the part ground, first, second and third floors.

On the first, second and third floors there are a mix of one bedroom and two bedroom flats.

The proposal for the ground floor excludes the original banking area.

Barclays had a bank on the site for more than 15 years but the current plans to not include any development of the ground floor space it had previously occupied.

The entrance to the proposed flats is to the side of the building in Union Street along with storage areas, refuse disposal area and room for long and short stay bicycle parking.

The site is within the primary shopping area of the town but there is a long-established use of upper floors for residential accommodation in town centres.

Town centres are considered sustainable locations for residential development.

There is an element of expected noise within a town centre owing to its use and vibrancy as a location as opposed to a suburban location on the edge of a settlement.

The existing uses at ground floor and in neighbouring buildings are not expected to result in significant detriment to the residential amenity of future occupiers .

The application confirms that the units all meet the nationally described space standards.

The building has two internal staircases and a lift providing access from ground level to the third floor.

There is also a proposal for 22 long stay and two short stay cycle parking spaces to serve the units.

Newton Abbot Town Council’s planning committee said it would have preferred for the bank to have been retained for use by the community.

But members raised no objection to the plans subject to there being no refuse bins stored on Union Street or Courtenay Street.