AN office building in Southampton city centre could be turned into flats.

Plans to turn Friary House in Briton Street into 46 flats have been unveiled.

According to the proposals, four studio flats, 31 one-bedroom, nine two-bedroom and two three-bedroom apartments could be built at the site.

It comes as Telereal General Property GP Limited has put forward plans for the 1980s four-storey office building located by the Grade II listed medieval town wall. 

No car parking spaces are expected to be provided as part of the new development.

But  there are plans for 50 long-stay and five short-stay cycle parking spaces.

Developers said it has been demonstrated that the scheme falls under permitted development rights and that “the matters for prior approval in terms of transport and highways impact, contamination, flooding, noise, and daylight and sunlight are acceptable”.

A local resident raised concern over the scheme and described the area as “already overdeveloped”.

In official documents, developers said a transport statement shows that the site is “highly accessible by non-car modes, providing future residents with realistic sustainable travel opportunities”.

They added: “It is therefore considered there are no likely negative impacts of transport on the intended occupiers of the development that would constitute a material factor in this case. Therefore, it is concluded there is no technical transport reason to refuse this application.”

In official planning documents developers also stressed that the proposed development “adheres to the minimum space standards” and “the potential for daylight and sunlight within the proposed apartments is considered to be reasonable and adequate”.

Bargate ward councillor Sarah Bogle described the scheme as “another example of permitted development”.

“Though we need more housing, we also need good quality housing and permitted development has not proven to be a guarantee of quality to date,” she added.

Royston Smith, MP for Southampton Itchen, said: “I welcome the plans to renovate Friary House in Briton Street and create new flats. With many companies choosing more flexible forms of work and employees working from home office space is seeing less demand and new housing in the city centre is always welcome.Creating quality flats would be good for the city and is more useful than keeping office blocks that are not leased empty.”