Passport office to be turned into 'car-free' flats

Aragon Court, former HM Passport office building in Petebrorough could be converted into 126 flats

Plans have been submitted to convert a former passport office building into 126 flats.

Proposals for a four-storey Aragon Court building, on City Road, Peterborough, include 95 one-bedroom and 31 two-bedroom flats.

It is part of the Northminster area regeneration project, which also includes development of the former city market site.

The proposals suggest the scheme would be "car-free".

Northminster development of the former city market site includes 350 affordable-living apartments, cycle lanes, parking spaces as well as commercial and retail spaces

The building, which has an internal area of more than 6,000 sq m (64583 sq ft), has stayed vacant for more than a year after the HM Passport Office moved to Fletton Quays.

Applicant, Samsons Ltd, an estate management company, said "the building is not fit for use as offices now".

The plans for the block of flats include provisions for the storage of bicycles and refuse and recycling. No changes have been proposed to the building exterior.

A planning statement said: "There is an excess of vacant office space in the city and several buildings in the area have been converted into residential use recently.

"The application does not propose any off-street parking and would be entirely 'car-free'. This accords with the council's objectives of promoting sustainable travel."

The application added a total of 18 on-street parking bays would be provided along the northern side of City Road, including two dedicated disabled parking bays.

The proposals have been submitted to the council.