A vacant city centre office building in Stoke-on-Trent could be turned into 99 flats.

Telecom House in Hanley was previously a base for BT staff, and despite efforts to find new tenants it is now completely empty.

TT Group, which owns the seven-storey building in Trinity Street, has now submitted plans to convert it into residential accommodation.

The proposals would involve a mix of studio flats and one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, along with secure bike storage and a recycling area.

But the building would be a 'car free' development, with only two accessible parking spaces for visitors on-site.

TT Group is seeking prior approval for the plans from Stoke-on-Trent City Council – full planning permission is not required for residential conversions.

According to the application, Telecom House can no longer meet local demand for office space, and so the proposals would allow it to be brought back into productive use.

The application states: "BT has been trying to let the vacant office floorspace within the building for a number of years with little success.

"A call centre operator occupied the top floor of the building for several years but vacated some time ago. Market advice from local agents is that the office floorspace in this location is too large for local demand.

"As a fully vacant building, there is concern it will become a liability and an attractor of anti-social behaviour. It will represent unused floorspace on an important site on the edge of the town centre which could be put to better use for residential purposes.

"It is for these reasons that the change of use from office to residential is proposed by way of permitted development legislation."

Under the proposals, all of the building's floors would be converted into flats, apart from the basement, which has no windows and would be retained as an 'unoccupied, sterile space'. The application says that all the proposed apartment would meet national space standards.

Part of the lower ground floor would be turned into a secure storage for up to 110 bikes, along with a refuse and recycling area.

The application makes the case that the city centre location 'lends itself as a good location for a car free development', due to its proximity to amenities and public transport.

TT Group is a large UK-based property investment company which acquired the BT portfolio of properties in 2001. The building was put up for sale earlier this year.

Last month, planning committee members at the city council approved plans to turn the vacant Blackburn House office building into 130 flats. The council has yet to make a decision on proposals to create 101 flats at the former City Central Library.

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