There are plans to turn offices in Stevenage town centre into 18 flats.

Developers have applied to Stevenage Borough Council for permission to convert the first and second floors of offices above shops in Queensway into one-bedroom flats.

The proposed development site runs from 40 to 56 Queensway and includes offices above The Perfume Shop, Vodafone, Holland and Barrett, Vision Express, Pandora and Wenzel's the Bakers.

Physical changes on the application site are proposed to be internal only. In a Heritage Impact Statement accompanying the application for change of use, it says: "In this sense, the appearance and form of the building, and its contribution to the significance of the conservation area and nearby statutorily and locally listed buildings, would be unchanged, leading to the preservation of these assets."

In fact, it says: "The building’s external character is somewhat degraded in part and a residential use is likely to contribute funding for maintenance and repairs."

It points to a conservation area appraisal, which raises the "lack of maintenance of cladding panels on the first and second floors of building frontages" as a particular weakness in the area.

"An active and viable residential use, as proposed, would directly address this issue," the statement says.

Access to the proposed flats would be provided through existing doors, avoiding external changes.

All the flats would face onto Queensway, with a corridor at the rear of the building to access the individual homes.

In summary, the Heritage Access Statement says: "The proposed development brings about a number of benefits with regards to safeguarding and enhancing the conservation area.

"The proposals have been based on a thorough understanding of the significance of the identified heritage assets and seek to provide high quality residential units on the site, while preserving their unique heritage values.

"The proposed change of use will entirely preserve the character, appearance and significance of the conservation area.

"The works also have the clear ability to safeguard the area’s significance and bring about enhancements to the conservation area through the introduction of increased movement and activity within the conservation area, which will see for its vitality and viability, and by securing maintenance and repairs to the application site, specifically the cladding panels, which are a key feature of the conservation area."

To view the planning application in full, visit stevenage.gov.uk and search for reference 24/00786/CPA in the planning portal.