Plan to convert a former Victorian railway shed into 50 new apartments

A plan to convert a former Victorian railway shed into 50 new apartments has been put forward.

New proposals would see the former goods yard, shed building and neighbouring officers off Midland Road in Worcester transformed into the new apartments.

The application by Promanco would see the roof of the building, which is currently home to indoor playground The Buzz and rock-climbing centre Redpoint, removed to make way for the four-storey apartment building.

A statement included with the application said: “The scheme seeks to retain as much of the existing former goods yard building as possible and all of the office building.

“The creation of the new build within the existing goods yard wall is an innovative design solution which addresses the need to provide good quality accommodation for future residents whilst recognising the site’s industrial architectural heritage.

“The new structure provides three storeys above the ground floor and will be no higher than the existing extended roof and is not intended to dominate the existing substantial goods yard building or its surroundings.”

According to the application, the roof of the main building would be removed with the four-storey apartment building built within to create walkways around the flats and protect the fabric of the building.

The developer said the original plan to convert the building would leave a number of the flats with reduced sunlight.

The application said: “Initial design ideas for the site’s redevelopment considered a conventional conversion of the former goods yard building wholly contained within the existing walls and roof; it was intended only to use the existing window and door openings or reinstate them where they had been previously closed up.

“It quickly became apparent the conversion of the building in this manner would have resulted in a deficit of daylight and sunlight reaching each flat.

“The alternative would have involved punching completely new openings in the brickwork to provide additional windows and doors, thus having the potential to compromise the architectural quality and fabric of the building.”