The former home in Lancaster of the popular outdoor clothing store Mountain Warehouse is being earmarked for student flats.
A 'change of use' application has gone in to Lancaster City Council for 43-45 Market Street.
This would be to convert the first and second floors into four flats for student accommodation and alter the front ground floor to form a new entrance.
Mountain Warehouse moved out of the premises, and into a new nearby unit at 17-19 Market Street, in 2023.
The applicant is Lancaster Lets.
A heritage statement submitted with the plans, says: "The existing property is over three floors. The ground and first floor have been used for retail and the second floor was used for storage and a staff welfare area. To the rear of the property there is a service yard.
"The property has been used for retail purposes, most recently Mountain Warehouse. Since they vacated the property, the premises have been advertised for rent, but with very little interest.
"It is a large retail space and with the decline of the high street, it is difficult to see which business would be capable of taking on such a large retail space.
"This is evident from the number of other vacant retail properties on the high street.
"The property to the right of 43-45 Market Street is a modern 1960s building, currently used by Lloyds Bank. The property to the left of 43-45 Market Street is 35-41 Market Street and is occupied by HSBC. The building is Grade II listed and divided into two styles.
"The proposals will have no impact on the neighbouring listed building.
"Currently the building is redundant and empty, which has a detrimental effect on the fabric of the building. The proposals will bring two thirds of the building into use and therefore will be beneficial to the property.
Below, how the building looks today.
"The proposals will bring a redundant building into use as well as serving a need of providing student accommodation within the city centre."
The plans can be seen at lancaster.gov.uk in the planning section, reference number 25/00607/FUL.
Lancaster City Council will make a decision on planning permission in due course.
Lancaster youth charity launches 10 Challenges campaign
£30k campaign launched for new Lancaster community farm
Carnforth chiropodist honours her late husband with clinic fundraiser
Lancaster City Council agrees 2.99 per cent rise in Council tax share
Lancashire Police’s share of Council tax to rise by 5.4 per cent
Guys Thatched Hamlet closes suddenly after 46 years
Teenager spared jail for causing death of newborn child in Morecambe
Morecambe Town Council agrees budget and 2.46 per cent rise in Council tax share
Builders of new Lancaster housing development offer £2k cash pot to community groups
Lancaster centre welcomes mayor for opening of new community kitchen
Lancaster shop to close as high street gaming chain faces administration
Jim Bentley returns for second spell as Morecambe FC manager
Ashvir Singh Johal’s reign as Morecambe manager comes to an end
Lancaster writer's ghost story of Morecambe to be voiced by acting legend on Radio 4
Change of name announced for popular Morecambe bar
Opening announced for new Morecambe bistro inside former post office
Health watchdog report shows improvements to services at Royal Lancaster Infirmary
LISTEN: How Leo's Gym is making a difference in memory of young Morecambe boxer
LISTEN: Lancaster set to celebrate Chinese New Year
Lancaster’s Vue Cinema under new ownership
