Harrogate's former Debenhams store is set to be redeveloped after councillors gave their backing to the ambitious scheme.
North Yorkshire councillors have supported plans to convert the prominent building into 34 apartments and commercial units, including potentially a new town centre bar.
Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee voted in favour of ‘being minded to grant’ planning permission yesterday (Tuesday) at a meeting at Harrogate Civic Centre.
The final decision was delegated to officers who will give the go-ahead when they are satisfied various conditions have been met.
Councill Chris Aldred described the scheme as a “splendid example of what can be achieved when organisations work together”.
He said:
“I think this is an excellent scheme and we’ve just got to get cracking on it now.”
Councillor Philip Broadbank also backed the plans.
He said:
“It’s good to see the site being used again.
“Residential developments in the town centre will become more common as we go as there are big changes in the way we buy things.
“More and More town centres will become places of leisure as well as retail. Overall it’s something that will help the town centre to keep going.”
Planning officers had recommended the scheme was approved, despite admitting the redevelopment could cause harm to the building, part of which is classified as a non-designated heritage asset, and the surrounding Harrogate Conservation Area.
Nine one-bedroom and 25 two-bedroom apartments are planned.
An extension will be built on the roof to create extra space for the housing.
The existing façade to the 1960s part of the building facing Parliament Street will be removed and replaced with a stone-clad façade.
The creation of a central courtyard at the first-floor level within the building is also planned.
The meeting heard there were only six parking spaces for the 34 apartments planned, but the building was close to both the bus and train station, as well as town centre car parks.
The application had the support of Historic England and the Harrogate Civic Society.
The charity SAVE Britain’s Heritage, which has named the building as one of 18 former ‘cathedrals of commerce’ that should be spared from demolition and repurposed, had also backed the scheme.
The store shut in 2021 after Debenhams went into administration.
A previous application to demolish the former store to build a modern apartment block was withdrawn after it received opposition from Historic England, the Harrogate Civic Society and the former Harrogate Borough Council.
The site had been a retail staple on Parliament Street for over a century and housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores before becoming Debenhams in the 1960s.
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