A former Coalville doctors' surgery is to be converted into seven self-contained flats.

The building, at 99 Belvoir Road, has been out of use since 2016 but will now house five two-bed units and two one-bed apartments.

North West Leicestershire District Council has given the scheme the go-ahead following an application which was made last October.

Council officers say the application will bring the building back into use from it current neglected state.

They also emphasise that future community use was put to the applicant - listed only as a Mr Kumar - rather than new accommodation.

It was also confirmed that the NHS have no plans to use the building as a surgery again.

A council report quotes the applicant as saying: "The premises in question was previously used as a doctor's surgery with one doctor.

"The doctor left the surgery in March 2016 and moved to the Long Lane surgery in Coalville, taking his patients to that practice.

"This was done with the NHS consent and approval, with the understanding that no other doctor would be put in to replace him.

"The NHS was not prepared to put in a new doctor due to the number of other local practices in the area that the patients could use instead.

The nature and scale of the site/building means that there is likely to be a very limited number of community uses it could be put to.

"The property has now been unoccupied since 2016 and is unsuitable in its current condition to be used as anything, therefore, a change of use is being applied for to bring the property back up to a good standard and add to the street scene and needs of housing to the local area.

"In the last six years since the property ceased to be a doctors surgery, there has been no impact on the local community as the NHS had deemed it unnecessary for the doctor to be replaced.

"We consider this to be strong validation to the points raised above and that the application should be looked upon favourably."

A council officer's report adds: "Having regard to the length of time that the premises has remained vacant (six years), the availability of other doctors surgeries in the vicinity and the lack of support for reinstating a doctor at the premises from the NHS, it is considered that reasonable evidence has been provided to demonstrate that the facility is no longer required or viable as a doctor's surgery

"The officer site visit revealed that the building is two-storeys in height and relatively modest in scale, and occupies a prominent location at the junction of Belvoir Road and Berrisford Street.

"The site has vehicular access off Berrisford Street onto a small parking area.

"The nature and scale of the site/building means that there is likely to be a very limited number of community uses it could be put to.

"The building has been unoccupied for six years and shows signs of neglect and disrepair.

"Evidence has been provided to demonstrate that the continued use of the site as a doctor's surgery or other alternative community uses is not viable and the benefits of bringing this long-vacant building back into use outweigh its loss for community use in this case."