PLANS have been unveiled to turn part of a disused hotel in a trendy part of Southampton into five flats.

The city council has received an application to convert the upper floors of a property at Oxford Street into a mixture of one, two and four-bedroom apartments.

The site was formerly Cargo, which comprised a bar and restaurant on the ground floor with hotel rooms above.

The application says the building was listed in 1981 but has been used by squatters since its previous use ended in 2019.

Daily Echo: The disused hotel in Oxford Street, Southampton. Picture: Southampton City Council planning portal.The disused hotel in Oxford Street, Southampton. Picture: Southampton City Council planning portal.

Two months ago Southampton-based Jamba Leisure applied to keep the site's premises licence, which would allow the sale of alcohol to continue.

Now consent is being sought to use the upper storeys for housing and build a new roof matching the ones on neighbouring buildings.

If the scheme goes ahead the commercial unit on the ground floor will be retained.

Referring to the internal alterations needed to create five flats the application says: "All original features will remain untouched and kept in their current state excluding areas of deterioration, where repairs will be carefully completed."

Daily Echo: The back of the former Cargo building in Oxford Street. Picture: Southampton City Council planning portal.The back of the former Cargo building in Oxford Street. Picture: Southampton City Council planning portal.

It also says the proposed development "will update a building in a street which over the years has slowly improved and increased in popularity".

The scheme is outlined in a public notice published by the city council.

Other public notices: Priory Road will be closed between its junctions with St Denys Road and Priory Road from April 11 to enable a water main to be extended. The works are due to be completed by April 23.

Wrights Hill will be closed between its junctions with Weston Lane and Portsmouth Road from April 20 (9.30am-3.30pm) to repair carriageway subsidence. The works are due to be completed by April 22.

Mount Pleasant Road will be closed between its junctions with Northumberland Road and Radcliffe Road from April 26 (8pm-6am) to allow manhole repairs. The works are due to be completed by April 28.