Plans to convert a vacant office building into more than 100 flats have been given approval.

The plans for the 11-storey Blackburn House in Hanley would see the upper 10 floors of the Old Hall Street tower converted to 130 self-contained apartments.

The application was submitted under prior approval which is intended to bring vacant buildings into use.

The application is made under the general permitted development order, which means that the planning authority is limited in its ability to refuse the application.

Under the rules only matters which are related to the application can be conditioned, as the principle of development has already been established under the rules. This means that only issues around transport, noise, natural light and the fire risk could be considered.

The development will see 120 one-bed and 10 three-bed apartments created, all above the minimum space requirements.

The plans do not affect the B&M store on the ground floor of the building, which has a separate entrance.

Councillors unanimously backed the plans and praised bringing houses into the city centre and repurposing an existing building.

Cllr Andy Platt said: "I think this is really positive, I think that it's really good to see these old, and there's several of them around the city, highrise buildings that were offices repurposed. Too often in the past highrise buildings have just been blown up or demolished and replaced with something else."

Councillor Adrian Knapper added: "Overall I think it's good to see housing coming back into the city centre.

"In the 50s we sort of pushed people out to the Bentillees and the peripheral edges and what we need now is people living in the city."

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