Student accommodation set for historic Lancaster building

Plans to transform a historic pump house in Lancaster into a student accommodation block look set to progress.The scheme relates to a property on Abram Close, which is believed to be the last remaining building of the former St Georges Works complex, to the south of St George’s Quay.Under the plans, the 19th century building would be converted into a four storey block with 35 studio apartments.In order to facilitate the scheme, a single storey glazed front extension would be erected, alongside a standing seam black metal clad vertical extension.The building would facilitate a communal area, internal plant room, bin and bike store and external fenced condenser compound.A report, which will go before Lancaster City Council’s Planning Regulatory Committee on Monday 6 November 2023, said that the development would “positively contribute to the district’s acute housing supply need”, despite 35 units being a “modest windfall to addressing the lack of five-year housing land supply”.It added that the harm to the building and area “does not individually nor cumulatively significantly and demonstrably outweigh the identified benefits”.The application will go before committee with the recommendation for approval.