Listed Holywell bank could be converted into apartments

A listed town centre bank could be transformed into six new apartments. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Proposals have been submitted for the former NatWest building on Holywell High Street, which was originally built in the mid-19th century. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The bank closed in May 2017 because the company claimed an increasing number of customers were turning to internet and telephone banking. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A new mobile bank was set up in its place to visit the town once a week. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Around the time it was put on sale, the company said it was looking for offers in the region of £75,000 for the 4,000 sq ft property. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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Its owners have now applied for the building to be converted into six new apartments and said it would help to regenerate the town. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a planning application, they said: “The former National Westminster Bank premises reflect the prosperity of the town in the early 19th century as an industrial town and a trading/pilgrimage centre. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The bank was re-modelled in the mid 19th century as a banking hall of an imposing scale. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The bank building has been vacant and for sale for over a year and although the outer shell of the structure is currently in good condition, an extended further period of vacancy would place the listed building at risk of deterioration. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The proposal is to convert all the floors of the existing building into six self-contained apartments, each having a single or two bedrooms. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The proposal will enhance a designated historic building and will assist in the regeneration and revitalisation of this part of Holywell Conservation Area.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Two apartments would be created on each floor under the plans, with two single-bed apartments on the second floor and four two-bed apartments on the floors below. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The developers said there would be ‘minimal’ changes to the layout of the first and second floors. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A new lobby area would be built on the ground floor, along with a staircase linking it to the first floor. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

They added that the outside of the bank would remain intact. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Flintshire Council is aiming to make a decision on the proposals by January 8, 2018. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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