Mansfield building with rich retail history could be revitalised by apartments

For Mansfield District Council has received a planning application to convert the first and second floors of 20-22 Leeming Street into six apartments.

They would sit above shops on the ground floor, which are currently occupied by the Leeming Store off-licence and the Luxury-Nails nail bar.

In the past, the property has housed various shops, as well as a hairdresser’s training centre and a martial arts club/gym.

The application has been submitted by Steven Cooling, the 70-year-old director and secretary of the Mansfield-based real-estate business, Valencia Properties Ltd.

His agent for the scheme is the architect, Guy Taylor Associates, of Newark, which has sent a planning and heritage statement to support the project.

It says: “The site occupies a prominent position on Leeming Street within Mansfield town centre and lies within the Market Place Conservation Area.

"It is within a highly sustainable town-centre location, with immediate access to shops, services, public transport links and public parking.”

The change-of-use plan (from commercial to residential) comprises five one-bed apartments and one two-bed.

It also asks for retrospective permission for four new windows that have been installed at the back of the building, which faces towards St Peter’s Church.

The statement goes on: “The proposal represents an appropriate re-use of vacant and under-utilised upper floors to provided much-needed residential accommodation.

"The development would not harm the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

The council’s planning officers are currently considering the proposal and have set a deadline date of Friday, September 18 to make a decision or recommendation.

THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/