Developers behind multi-million pound plans to bring three historic buildings back into use have called on councillors to back the project – despite planning officers recommending refusal.

The proposals would see the Grade II listed Tunstall Library and Baths and the neighbouring drill hall converted into 39 flats, along with a restaurant, gym and other facilities.

But planning officers at Stoke-on-Trent City Council have recommended that the application be turned down due to heritage and residential amenity concerns.

Sam Yu, from applicant Tunstall Library Developments, believes that these issues could have been resolved, but that previous council support for the project has now vanished.

The authority is set to transfer the £3.5 million of Levelling Up funding allocated to the project to another heritage scheme in the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency.

Mr Yu's hope is that members of the planning committee will go against their officers' recommendation and approve the plans when they meet to consider the application on Wednesday 15 July.

He said: "I've been working on this project for around two-and-a-half years. Early on we were grateful for the support we got from the council. But in the last couple of years there does seem to have been a sea change in the support we've received.

"I don't know whether that's because of political changes at the council, or due to the heritage consultant's report.

"We've been told that the council is thinking of moving the funding to another heritage project, but I don't think they should be even considering that when the planning committee has yet to make a decision. Funding can be redirected when a project is no longer viable, but that's not the case with ours."

Mr Yu says that if the scheme is blocked, a major, 'once in a generation' opportunity to regenerate Tunstall and secure the future of historic buildings will be lost.

The application has received objections from Historic England and the council's heritage officer. Concerns have been raised over the impact on the buildings' windows, the installation of a new lift in the library, and other internal changes such as the insertion of new floors.

Officers are also concerned about the room layout and the level of natural light for future occupants.

Mr Yu says that adapting a listed building for a new use will always result in issues such as this, but he believes that they should not prevent schemes going forward.

He said: "One of the heritage issues relates to the positioning of the lift in the library building. But at the end of the day, you need to have a lift for disabled people, and so you have to work with the space you've got. If anyone else takes on this refurbishment they'll have to deal with the same issues.

"I believe that our plan represents the best chance of this building being brought back into use. We've spent years and £500,000 on the project so far.

"The planning report also talks about some of the rooms being narrow and the ceiling too low, but again, that's always going to be an issue when you're working with a listed building. Our plans still comply with all legal requirements, but in some cases we've not been able to meet all the guidelines."

The planning application was submitted in October 2025, and the council was initially due to make a decision by January. But an extension to the expiry date to the end of July was agreed, and Mr Yu believes this time could have been used to resolve the outstanding planning issues.

He added: "There's been more than enough time to deal with these issues. Unfortunately, the local planning authority has not been as communicative as they could have been."

The city council says that it will move 'as a matter of urgency' to redirect the £3.5 million of Levelling Up funding to another heritage project in Stoke-on-Trent North to ensure it is spent by the 2028 deadline.

A council spokesperson said: "Earlier this year this council declared a heritage emergency, because buildings like the former Tunstall Library, Baths and Drill Hall are too important to the identity of our city to be allowed to fall into disrepair.

"That commitment is exactly why officers have recommended that councillors on the planning committee refuse Tunstall Library Developments Ltd's (TLDL) application to convert the site into apartments. TLDL has been informed of this recommendation.

"Following a thorough review, officers found the application does not meet the standards required to convert this Grade II listed building.

"It is disappointing that this scheme did not measure up, but our first duty is to protect the building, and we will not lower the bar a heritage asset of this significance deserves."