PLANS to breathe new life into a Grade II-listed building in the centre of Southampton have been given the go-ahead.
The city council has approved an application to convert vacant offices at Brunswick Terrace into six serviced apartments on short-term lets.
The application said: "The site is located in the city centre, immediately adjacent to shops, services and local parks.
"Serviced apartments (Aparthotels) provide accommodation which differs from conventional hotel rooms as the units provide self-contained kitchen facilities. Cleaning is undertaken by in-house contractors."
The application said the proposed new apartments would generate fewer car journeys than offices.
It added: "Trips would be evenly spread throughout the day, unlike office use where a typical morning and evening rush-hour would be anticipated.
"The site is highly accessible and has excellent links to all forms of transport."
The application included a heritage statement that outlined the history of the 19th century building, a former townhouse at the junction of Brunswick Place and Kings Park Road.
It said: "The front and side facades contain many original windows, including the bowed sash windows which became fashionable in provincial towns in the latter half of the 18th Century.
"Similar features can be found on the Dolphin Hotel in Southampton as well as 123-133 Bernard Street.
"Externally, there is a high degree of significance. As the external features of the building will all remain, their character and integrity will be wholly upheld.
"The proposals generally represent a 'light touch' intervention, with the re-use of the existing plan form and apertures. All windows are proposed to be retained."
A council report said its planning policies supported the retention of offices.
But it added: "On balance, the departure from the local plan would be acceptable in principle given the benefits of re-using the vacant offices and bringing the listed building back into use."
The report said the scheme would preserve the character of the building.
"The level of intervention proposed would lead to a slight heritage benefit over the existing use, and would repair and restore the remaining period details, and given that the works would be entirely reversible.
"The use would not be out of keeping with the local area and will not adversely affect the amenity of nearby occupiers."
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