Transformation of a town's former post office has moved another major step forward as revamp plans are being earmarked for approval.
A new creative hub could soon be unveiled in the landmark Grade II listed building in Lowestoft - provided plans are given the go-ahead next week.
The former post office in Lowestoft’s town centre on London Road North has been vacant and unoccupied since 2018.
Since then "remedial works" to restore the exterior and repair the historic character of the building owned by East Suffolk Council have been completed.
With the building bought by the former Waveney District Council in 2018 to boost regeneration in the town centre, approval was given for a mixed-use commercial and residential development in March 2021.
Creative hub plans were unveiled in January last year, with the arts space to be run by Messums Galleries and sculptor Laurence Edwards, with the hub to be known as Messums East.
It led to two schemes to "preserve and enhance" the landmark building being submitted by agents Feilden & Mawson LLP on behalf of the applicant Guy Butler, for East Suffolk Council, to the council in April last year
The proposals would see the site - which also includes land to its rear - house six new artist studios, an art gallery, classroom space, and a new café.
The two schemes - centring around applications for listed building consent and full planning permission - will be voted on at a meeting of East Suffolk Council's planning committee north on Tuesday, March 12.
Councillors will be told planning officers recommend approval of both proposals, subject to conditions.
'Significant public benefits'
A planning report to councillors states: "This application proposes to re-purpose a landmark building within Lowestoft town centre for a mixed-use development as a multifunctional arts based centre.
"The application delivers significant public benefits in the form of the re-use and adaptation of this important, Grade II listed landmark building within Lowestoft town centre, and associated ancillary buildings, including the Gault building - a non-designated heritage asset in its own right - with a mixed use development."
This includes a gallery use within the former sorting hall of the post office, and artists' studios, a retail unit associated with the gallery use within the ground floor of the listed former post office, ancillary accommodation studios for visiting artists within the Gault building, and new build element at the rear with a new café and enhanced public realm to Surrey Street within the Conservation Area.
It adds: "In total seven artists’ studios are proposed across the site."
With the total proposed floor area for the development amounting "to 1658 sq m "with a variety of different land uses proposed," both the full application and listed building consent application are being recommended for approval by planning officers, subject to conditions.
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