PLANS have been approved for the conversion of a former youth hostel in Cockermouth.

A planning application for the change of use from holiday accommodation to domestic and create an outside social space with storage at Double Mills, Fern Bank, Cockermouth, was approved by Cumberland Council on April 20.

The former youth hostel at Double Mills was bought from Cockermouth Town Council in 2018, with previous occupiers the Youth Hostel Association having been said to have been in place since World War Two.

Documents supporting the application said: "Double Mills is a Grade-II listed ex-water mill on the River Cocker which had been substantially altered by the YHA over their 80 plus year tenancy of the building.

In 2018, planning was granted at Double Mills for a change of use to a family home.

Double Mills was converted in 2019 and investment into the property has kept it on the map for the town in the future.

When planning permission was first granted in 2018 to convert Double Mills from a Youth Hostel into a family home, the part of the building used by the warden was seen as an opportunity to continue the visitor accommodation within the development.

Currently the residential part of the property is under council tax and the annexe under business rates.

The new change of use is set to clarify the residential status of the property in the eyes of insurers and for council tax.

The owners decided not to carry on with the commercial side of the property since 'life changes' from the original application in 2018.

Tallking about the changes, documents said: "Covid has changed working patterns to working from home much of the time, increasing the pressure on the use of the annex for residential activities.

"The business rates require a property to be let for a minimum number of nights which with the other competing demands on uses of the annexe and the time demand on servicing the accommodation means that the annexe will revert to council tax.

"The additional insurance required for self-catering accommodation in a flood risk area means that low intensity use of the annexe is not viable as a holiday let."