BARROW Borough Council has granted planning permission – to itself.

A council officer had to apply for listed building consent to make changes at the town hall.

The impressive Duke Street council headquarters dates back 137 years and is officially a star-listed Grade II building.

Star-listed buildings are regarded as “particularly important” with only 5.8 per cent nationally having such a high rating.

It puts it in the top five per cent of buildings in the entire country, a planning committee meeting was told.

The council plans to make changes to the ground floor office and foyer on the Cornwallis Street side.

A planning officer’s report said the area in question – the former entrance hall – is used as a “first contact point” for members of the public with queries.

Council planning officer Maureen Smith told the planning committee that the alterations were “very minor”.

She said: “Given its listing, we are really lucky to have it still as a working town hall as it was intended to be. There is no impact on the historic fabric or features of the building at all and no objections from Historic England.”

The plans to make changes to the existing office layout and reception counter. It includes the partial removal of modern partitions, doors and barrelled timber ceilings.

The end result would involve a re-positioned reception counter and private office space.

The committee, led by planning committee chairwoman Cllr Ann Thomson, voted to agree the application.

Historic England first listed the town hall back on May 6, 1976. The town hall took five years to build between 1882 and 1887.

Data from Historic England said it was opened as part of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebrations having cost about £80,000.