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.
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