Historic Wolverhampton lock and safe factory to become 14 flats
Plans to turn a rundown former city-centre lock and safe factory into 14 flats have been given the go-ahead.
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Swadlincote Investments has been granted permission to turn the former Scarboro Works in Temple Street, Wolverhampton into 14 homes.
The building was home to Joseph Bates & Sons, later J & E Bates, a well-known manufacturer of locks, safes and bicycles which had been in the town since the 1810s.
The scheme will also see an extra floor added to the roof of the building, which overlooks St John's Church. Land to the side of the building, at present used as a public car park, will also be developed as part of the scheme.
Granting approval for the plans, senior planning officer Andrew Johnson said the building was of great historic importance, but had fallen into a poor state of repair.
"This is an important heritage building, being one of the last remaining buildings of its type locally," said Mr Johnson.
"A scheme to retain and enhance this building is appropriate in principle.
"The exterior of the building is in poor condition. It has also been unsympathetically modified and altered previously. The proposals would enhance the building, bringing it fully back into use, creating new residential units and significant investment in this part of the city centre."
Mr Johnson said the scheme would provide quality homes, and the plans included a commitment to using renewable energy at the site.
Planners were told most of the original building, which dated back to the 19th century, was demolished around 2007, and is now used as a car park.
A statement issued on behalf of the developer said the building was largely in a state of ruin, without any partitions or notable internal features.
"The front of the building has decorative elements in the form of string courses with dentil details, but the eastern side is unadorned and formerly was hidden by adjacent buildings," it said.
J & E Bates continued trading until the death of Keith Bates, great-grandson of the founder, in 1995, although in its later years it had moved to Lord Street, where it operated solely as a locksmith.
