PLANS have been approved for a former Cockermouth design studio to be converted into a home, following the retirement of the building's owner from his business.

Plans for the Fairfield House building on Station Road were approved with conditions on March 25 by Cumberland Council planning officers.

The plans will see the change of use of the building from design studio to a dwelling, with the application seeking permission to change the use of the ground floor design studio element of the property, and the lower ground floor, to residential use, which will form an extension to the existing residential use of the first floor of the dwelling.

In a statement for the change of use of the property, the applicant said they were applying for the changes as they no longer use the lower floor of the property for business purposes.

The applicant said: "I am now fully retired from my own business and I no longer wish to rent out the space to any other business."

The decision to grant planning permission of the building was supported due to the application planning to bring a 'vacant section back into use' with officers feeling the move would support the town centre.

An officer's report granting the permission said: "The proposal to convert the ground floors of the property to a residential use associated with its first floor is considered acceptable, bringing a current vacant section of the building back into use, resulting in a continued support of the wider town centre and according with both local and national planning polices.

"It is therefore recommended that the application is approved."

The plans will see no external alterations proposed to the property, and internal alterations consist only of decoration and furnishing, the officers report stated.