A former bank in Newcastle city centre could be transformed into a high-end restaurant if the plans going before planners later this week secure the green light.
The project, which would also involve turning upper-level offices into aprartments, would be expected to create jobs but has been subject to a number of objections from locals.
The Collingwood Street property is grade II-listed and it first opened in 1891, having been constructed for the Quaker-based Hodgkin, Barnett, Pease, Spence & Co.
The building is currently vacant having previously been occupied by Allied Irish Bank until 2013. The upper office floors, despite being granted planning approval for residential use in 2003, have remained largely vacant since the late 1990s.
As such, the building is now in "desperate need of refurbishment", according to a planning statement drawn up by Lambert Smith Hampton.
"The surrounding character of the area is predominantly commercial in nature with a mix of offices, restaurants, bars and residential uses in the vicinity," it added. "A large number of the historic financial buildings in the vicinity have been converted to restaurant, bar and hotel uses a number of properties are mixed use with commercial at ground floor and residential above."
As such, proposals have been drawn up to transform the ground floor into a restaurant and bar, with the upper floors set to be made into 12 apartments. It is hoped that the use of the former would provide a "further landmark development opportunity to contribute to the vibrancy and vitality of a key economic sector."
The development would be expected to create 40 construction jobs with the finished restaurant employing 43 staff. The applicant, Union Property Development, stated the development "would link in the wider aims of the NE1 regeneration initiative which proposed to improve the public realm around the Bigg Market."
However, the application has come under a small amount of criticism from the local people, with objections including the impact of food odours and general disruption, access to existing properties affected by the construction equipment and the area already being "oversaturated with restaurants and bars".
Despite this, the planning committee at Newcastle City Council has been recommended to approve the project with a report drawn up ahead of the 16 June meeting stating that the principle of bringing a building back into occupation as a mixed use restaurant, bar and residential scheme within the sustainable urban core with good public transport links is "considered acceptable".
"It is regrettable that the original windows and other features including cornices and skirting's will be lost during the refurbishment," it added. "However, the public benefit of the development has to be carefully weighed against the perceived harm to the character and appearance of the listing building.
"It is judged that in this instance due to the constraints of noise and air quality the proposed works to windows and the internal fabric of the building is justified and is a proportionate approach to the site circumstances. The re-use of the building will provide opportunity to secure the long-term future of the heritage asset and prevent further deterioration."