Offices once used by a major sexual health organisation in York could be turned into a holiday let.

LHR Catering of York seeks the change of use to a 170m2 office and workshop in Marygate Lane, which previously contained Yorkshire Mesmac.

The planning application to City of York Council said: ”The existing building has been used as an office/workshop for over 20 years but has been unused and vacant for the past three years.

“The proposed change of use to a holiday let will bring this disused building back to life whilst providing new visitor accommodation in the heart of the city.”

The proposal said existing single glazed timber windows would be replaced with more thermally efficient uPVC and internal works would create the necessary living accommodation.

Two existing car spaces at the back of the building would be retained.

The application also noted the city centre site, close to St Mary’s Abbey, is in a Flood Zone 3 area.

It added: “The site is protected by flood barriers and the management company for the holiday let will sign up to the Environment Agency’s 24 hour flood alert system. The FRA (flood risk assessment) concludes that with flood defences, the risk of flooding from rivers and the sea is low.”