Prior approval has been granted for a planning application which will see a Hitchin office block turned into new homes.

The plans, submitted by Bellborough Ltd, will see Radcliffe House in Old Charlton Road, just off Tilehouse Street, turned into 49 properties spread across three floors.

The homes will be a mixture of one, two, and three-bedroom properties, with 90 car parking spaces.

North Herts Council has given prior approval to the plans, but conditions must be met for the development to go ahead.

"The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission," the decision notice reads.

Plans for the ground floor of Radcliffe House.Plans for the ground floor of Radcliffe House. (Image: North Herts Council)

"Prior to the commencement of the development, full details of a construction and traffic management plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

"Full details of the surface water management for the site, together with flood resilience and mitigation measures, shall also be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority."

Radcliffe House was built in 1987 by National Mutual, and is named after one of Hitchin's most influential families.

Since it opened, the building has been home to financial service business ReAssure, formerly known as Admin Re and part of the Swiss Re Group.