TWO heritage-listed sets of offices in a town centre street could be converted into homes.

The properties in close proximity to each other in Richmond Terrace, Blackburn, are the subject of two separate planning applications.

Bassam Juma wants to convert 15 Richmond Terrace, known as Richmond House, into five flats and add a two-storey rear extension.

Junaid Shafi is seeking to turn 12 and 13 Richmond Terrace into a house and knock down an additional building to the back of number 13.

Both are Grade II listed and in the Richmond Terrace Conservation area.

A Design and Access Statement has by JSY Design Ltd, on behalf of Mr Juma’s application says: “The area comprises a high density of residential and commercial properties.

“This section of Richmond Terrace typically contains two-storey terraced properties used as offices.

“The site is very well located for public transport and the scheme includes five one-bedroom flats.

“The building was unoccupied for the last seven years. There are 17 unoccupied buildings out of 21 in the north side of Richmond Terrace.

“Due to working from home becoming the norm instead of traditional office environment the likelihood of these building in the north of Richmond Terrace to become occupied as offices is very slim or non-existent.

“The negative impact of unoccupied properties includes crime and misuse.

“Blackburn town centre attracts a young workforce with young families.

“The proposed scheme is ideal for such young workforce to buy, putting their feet on the property ladder or simply rent. Historically, the property was constructed as part of a line of residential terraced houses.

“The proposed development makes best use of a previously unoccupied, derelict building in bad condition.

“This scheme provides five much needed residential dwellings in the town centre."

A planning statement in support of Mr Shafi's application says: "Currently the two properties are vacant but were used a offices as one building.

"We are proposing to convert the offices to bring back the original use and purpose of the buildings which were residential properties.

"The proposals offer the opportunity to return a building of local historical interest to effective reuse and to reintroduce residential units to maximise the use of the site within an already established residential area.

"The proposed development represents a well-designed scheme."