PLANS have been submitted to turn the old Worcester Street GP surgery into nine new apartments.

A proposal has been registered with Dudley Council's planners to turn the derelict Edwardian building on the corner of Hill Street into nine one-bedroom apartments.

Originally built as a large home, the building has lain empty since 2014 when the doctors closed Worcester Street Surgery and rebranded the business as Lion Health following the conversion of the old Stourbridge Lion factory into a new super surgery in Lowndes Road.

Planning permission had been granted to turn the empty former surgery into an office block in 2015 but the plan was not pursued and the building has remained empty.

A change of use from offices to apartments with car parking at the rear plus bike storage is now sought.

A design and access statement submitted to Dudley Council planners on behalf of Hagley based applicant Ranco Estates says: "The sizes of the apartments have been determined by the constraints of the existing structure and the location of existing windows has guided the design process in achieving maximum provision of natural light with the new living spaces.

"It is not proposed to alter the external appearance of the building with the exception of the following minor alterations - removal of the steel fire escape staircase and the front entrance porch, brick infill to two windows and two doors, removal of a/c units and creation of two new entrance doors (with canopies over) along the Hill street elevation.

"No alteration to vehicular access and parking are proposed."

A pre-application enquiry was made in September 2020 and established the general principle of conversion to self-contained apartments would be acceptable, the statement adds.