Flats plan for former radio station base

Signal Radio, which had other station names, was based at the Stoke Road building for four decades

Plans have been approved to turn part of the site of Staffordshire's original commercial radio station into flats.

Signal Radio started in 1983 from Stoke-on-Trent, but the broadcaster moved out of the building in Shelton earlier this year, with staff relocating to studios in Birmingham.

In April, the brand disappeared from the airwaves, with Signal 1 being renamed Hits Radio (Staffordshire and Cheshire).

Proposals to turn the first floor of the building on Stoke Road into five flats have now been granted prior approval by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

The plans would see the currently vacant commercial space converted into one-bedroom apartments, along with a lobby, laundry room and storage space.

The ground floor would be retained as commercial space.

Planning officers decided that prior approval was needed and could be granted, subject to noise mitigation and ventilation measures being implemented.

The name change in April was part of a countrywide revamp by owner Bauer Media Audio UK.

Traditionally local commercial stations have been permitted to broadcast just three hours a day of non-national programmes on weekdays.

Earlier this year, Bauer said that by "transforming local stations into this nationally-recognised brand, we're really excited by the potential that Hits Radio has to grow".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.