A "dilapidated and unsightly" historic building in Coalville is set to be transformed in a £4.5 million project.

The plan for the Marlborough Centre, in Belvoir Road, is the latest effort to regenerate the heart of the town.

North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) has secured permission from its own planning department to develop the building into much-needed homes. The internal works will see 12 flats created there. These would be a mix of one- and two-bed apartments.

The exterior of the building will also receive a facelift, with the shopfronts to get new and improved frontages.

The site has been described as dilapidated and unsightly. Photo: Coalville Nub News

The authority said when the plan was submitted in 2022 that the work was necessary as the building's current appearance, including peeling paint, has been "detracting" from the area's appearance for some time. It described the site as "dilapidated" and "unsightly".

A neighbouring unit facing Owen Street will be knocked down through the works. Meanwhile "poor condition" extensions in the rear courtyard of the centre are also slated for demolition.

Approving the scheme, planning officers did raise some concern that future residents would not have any outdoor living space, with no private garden or balconies proposed.

How the apartments could look inside. Image: North West Leicestershire District Council

However, they said the site is in walking distance of multiple parks. They added the homes are likely to be occupied by students or professionals, rather than families, so the lack of outdoor space would likely be less of an issue.

Ultimately, they concluded the work would "bring an underutilised facility back in to a long-term sustainable use". As such, the benefits "outweigh" any harm from the proposal, they said.

The approval follows significant work in Marlborough Square which has seen the area's former car park ripped up and replaced with granite paving. The cost of that scheme totalled £2.7 million in a bid to make the square an events hub and new home to the town's market.