Planners are recommending the demolition of a 19th century Conservative Club in York and replacing it with a block of student flats.

A part two-part three storey block with 34 flats at 75-79 Clarence Street is set to be determined by City of York Council planning committee next week.

Until recently, the buildings contained the Bootham and Monk Ward Conservative Club, which the applicant told the council is “boarded up and in a poor state of repair.”

The sale was agreed last year and the club merged with Heworth, leading to a merged Heworth and Bootham Conservative Club re-opening last October following a £200,000 revamp.

Clarence Street York Ltd propose to form six clusters of between 4 and 6 one-bed rooms and 8 studios on the site.

A report prepared for the Tuesday meeting says ground floor accommodation would include a communal lounge and ancillary storage areas for plant, bikes, and bin stores.

The main access would be from Clarence Street with a secondary access off Union Terrace giving direct access to the cycle store and ground floor lounge.

A green roof is proposed above the single storey area and above the 3-storey flat roofed part of the building which lies between the blocks fronting Union Terrace and Clarence Street.

Since the developer first proposed a scheme in 2019, plans were revised to reduce its impact. It has also been working with York St John University on the designs, with the university taking a long-term lease of the development.

The university told the council: “This new development will make an important contribution to addressing the shortage in the supply of welllocated, high quality purpose-built accommodation.”

Council planners say the loss of “two historic houses on either side of the existing club is regrettable due to their townscape value as characteristic of the historic streetscape.”

But the site is outside a conservation area, the ability to retain them is “very limited” and their loss does not give grounds for refusal. The amended design of 2.5 storeys “would not have an incongruous appearance.”

Measures such as high- performance thermal insulation, double glazing, LED lighting, heating controls and solar panels promise a carbon emissions reduction of 28.3 per cent. The flats expect to achieve an ‘excellent’ rating for building energy efficiency.

The report says the site is suitable for student accommodation, as it is close to the city centre and York St John University. A car free development is appropriate for its location.

It concluded the loss of the Conservative club and adjoining buildings allow for a more efficient use of the site. The scheme was “generally respectful” of Clarence Street and Union Terrace and would not harm the nearby Central Historic Core Conservation Area.

It would also meet current environmental standards and be consistent with national planning policies.