'Pod' hotel plans for Sheffield Old Town Hall's cells

The Old Town Hall in the city centre has been empty since 1996

Plans to turn the former cells of a courthouse into 12 "pod" hotel rooms have been lodged.

The Grade II-listed Old Town Hall in Sheffield was built in 1808 and has stood empty on Waingate since 1996.

The 42,000 sq ft (3,900 sq m) building was formerly the city's courthouse and town hall.

The application lodged with Sheffield City Council is for serviced apartments, shops, cafes and the unusual hotel rooms.

The city's courthouse was formerly in the building

The building was placed on the Victorian Society's list of most at-risk buildings in the UK in 2007.

It was sold to Aestrom OTH in March after years of uncertainty over its future.

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Charles Dunn, of Urbana Town Planning on behalf of the developers, said: "The Old Town Hall is one of Sheffield city centre's most important heritage buildings and everyone involved in this project understands that we have a responsibility to take care of this much-loved asset and reverse its recent decline."

The proposals would secure its "viable long-term future" and not alter the exterior architecture of the listed building, he added.

Some areas "have deteriorated to an unsafe condition" according to the plan's heritage statement

Brian Holmshaw, from campaigners Friends of Sheffield Old Town Hall, said of the plan: "It's quite new and refreshing, the area needs a boost.

"We'd give it a cautious welcome but we don't want to lose the intricate interior designs like ironwork, plasterwork and its banisters."

He described the building as "part of Sheffield's history".

Chartists had marched on the Old Town hall in 1839