Multi-million pound plans to convert a 1960s office block and 18th Century building into student flats have been submitted to City of York Council.

Mason Residences Ltd seek to spend £3.5 million to change the use of the offices at The Hive, 5 Main Street and 5A Main Street, Heslington.

In addition to the 1960s-offices, the adjoining 18th Century buildings are part of the scheme.

The property was last used as offices by the University of York, with the application saying that conversion and extension can provide much-needed student accommodation.

Planning documents propose the delivery of 18 studio and c cluster flats with a total of 34 bed spaces.

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The application said: “To facilitate the change of use, a two-storey extension to the rear and a single-storey extension to the side are proposed to The Hive, as well as changes to its external appearance.

“The proposals include the installation of a conservation-style roof light, terracotta clay air bricks and internal alterations to facilitate the provision of studio bedrooms and a cluster flat at 5-5A Main Street, a listed building.”

In addition, property companies said the buildings are unsuitable and unneeded for commercial use, whilst there is an ‘acute’ need for the purpose-built student accommodation.

The Hive, the application continued, “has a negative contribution to the significance of the Heslington Conservation Area.”

“However, changes are proposed to dramatically improve the external appearance of The Hive. Hence, its contribution to the CA becomes a more positive one. The proposal includes recladding the facades with brick slips, sympathetic to the brickwork of surrounding buildings, and the installation of black Cedral fibre cement cladding panels.”

The site in HeslingtonThe site in Heslington (Image: Street View)

The Hive would have a new colour scheme, and some internal changes would be made for the bedrooms to meet modern standards.

The application said: “The minor harm to the significance of the listed (building) in undertaking the scheme is significantly outweighed by the benefits it will bring.”

Furthermore, student flats would bring “significant economic and employment benefits,” including an extra £600,000 of student spend a year in York.

Furthermore, the £3.5m scheme could create 35 full-time equivalent jobs during construction, 4 FTE operational employment posts and indirect employment of 88 FTE posts.

The application said The Hive would retain its mid-20th Century “design clues” but it’s appearance would be improved, with the two-storey extension at the rea and the side being subordinate to the existing building. It is also unlikely the extension will be seen from public vantage points.

Therefore, it concluded the scheme has no conflict with the emerging policies of the new Local Plan, as well as the National Planning Policy Framework, and should be approved without delay.