TOWN councillors have given the green light to property conversion proposals in Barrow town centre. The former Lakeland dry cleaners in Barrow’s Dalton Road will now be turned into a smaller shop with flats.

The new owners, who bought the building for £55,000 in August, plan to turn the upper floors into eight one-bedroom flats.

Neil Hodgson said the decision was "Definitely good to see. Think of the money that will be spent converting this old building all going to local tradesmen and suppliers. It's a pity more people don't bring these old empty buildings back into use whatever that [new use] might be."

Adam Gelling said: "I mean if the flats aren't super expensive then maybe [this could be a positive development for the town]."

Colin Garnett said: "On the plans I have seen a commercial unit will be retained on the ground floor off Dalton Rd.

Projects like this will save a run down building, create living accommodation in the heart of the town and retain commercial space. Win, win, win for the town."

However, not all readers were so pleased by the news of the planning approval. Emma Benstead said: "The high street is partly dying due to the amount of contractors coming into the town staying in such flats then taking their money home at the weekend."

Arron Aston said, sardonically: "We need to start knocking down all these empty town centre buildings so we can create 7000 one bedroom apartments which won’t get filled."

Teresa Everleigh said: "The council have been running down our beautiful 'old' brick and mortar buildings in Barrow for years now, so that they can knock them down for concrete monstrosities (usually executive housing, office space or a carpark) then they say it's for our benefit!"

Derek Haslam said: "Soon [it'll] be Debenhams' turn, [with] the way this town is going."