Victoria Chambers: Plan to convert historic city centre office building into flats

The proposal includes creating 11 new homes within Victoria Chambers, on Wood Street.

The property, which is opposite Wakefield Town Hall and the city Mechanics’ Institute building, was built in 1848.

Mayfair Morris Ltd has applied to Wakefield Council for permission to change the use of the building from offices to residential premises.

The site is within the Wood Street conservation area and next to the city’s former police station, which is currently being converted into flats.

The application said no external changes to the building are proposed but new walls and doors would be required inside “to create functional apartments with sufficient space and amenities.”

The document also states: “Elements such as the common staircase will be retained to allow for movement across all four floors, and new staircases are proposed within the proposed new duplexes between the upper ground and first floor levels.

“Owing to the site’s highly sustainable location and its close proximity to Wakefield Westgate station and local bus services, no parking spaces are proposed as part of the development.

“The site is therefore not expected to have any adverse impact on the local transportation network, nor create access issues.”

A previous application to convert the building into 13 apartments was approved by the council in 2004 but the project was not completed and planning permission expired.

The site is metres away from where major city centre housing development is ongoing as part of plans to regenerate Wakefield’s civic quarter.

Rushbond, the developer behind the project, said residents would be able to move into properties on Gills Yard this summer.

The Yorkshire-based property investment company is delivering 63 homes by converting the old Wood Street police station into apartments and building townhouses on former council-owned car parks at Rishworth Street and Gills Yard.