Shops and flats proposed for former restaurant which has stood empty for three years
PLANS have been submitted to transform a former town centre restaurant into shops and flats.
The building once occupied by Dragon’s Nest, in a prominent part of the Market Place, has stood empty since the business moved out three years ago, and now its owner has submitted plans to change its use into two retail units and four flats.
The application, which has been submitted to Derbyshire Dales District Council, would see the building remodelled to offer four flats upstairs instead of the current two, and to alter the rear access, which backs onto Union Street.
As part of the transformation, the grade two-listed building would be kitted out with eco-friendly air-source heat pumps and solar panels, according to the planning agent, Darren Archer, of Ashbourne-based Channel Design.
In a design and access statement submitted as part of the application, Mr Archer explained: “The proposed redevelopment will allow for much needed repair and reuse of an empty building on the market place, introducing two shops and accommodation on the site which is viable and will give the building a long-term future use.
“We believe the proposed alterations are minimal and enable the quality redevelopment of the site and as such should be supported and recommended for approval.”
The solar panels would be installed on the rear of the building, he explained, and the airsource heat pumps would also be in a discreet location.
The design of what would be a new layout has been created to minimise the number of walls that would need removing, and stud walls would be put in place to create the new flats.
Cellars beneath the former restaurant would become storage areas for the two shops, and the plans would also allow for a metal staircase at the rear of the building to be removed to create a better access to the first floor.
Mr Archer said: “Where we have removed and altered the existing structure it is mainly modern walls.
“The front elevation and rear elevations remain unchanged with only existing modern UPVC windows to the rear to be replaced with double glazed painted timber windows.
“On the ground floor of the rear modern lean-to extension we have proposed repositioning two modern windows.
“The main internal alteration will be forming stud partitions to split the building into smaller rooms to form new flats, each flat is confined to a floor and any new walls formed are where possible under beams, respecting the existing structural layout.”
Derbyshire Dales District Council’s planners will discuss the plans, which have currently received no objections, in the coming months.