PLANS to convert the site of a former charity shop have taken a major step forward in a bid to give businesses ‘more of a chance to survive’.

Members of Barrow in Furness local area planning committee approved the plans, submitted by Prestige Properties, to transform the property at 175-177 Dalton Road into two smaller retail spaces as well as a 12- bedroom HMO.

The proposals have now been delegated to the head of development management for final approval of the ground floor designs.

A letter submitted by the developer says: “Lack of footfall is a problem in a lot of towns and cities across the UK due to a lot of people now using the internet for their shopping in certain sectors e.g. Clothes shopping. Lots of businesses are therefore struggling to compete in this market.

“This has obviously had a negative impact on the town with many buildings now being derelict, which results in some areas looking an eye sore. The knock-on effect of this has seen less people visiting the town centre, which obviously has a knock-on effect to other businesses struggling financially.”

Planning documents said the ground floor would be converted into two smaller shops with welfare facilities as well as communal kitchen space for the HMO. On the first and second floors of the building the developer proposes six en-suite bedrooms on each floor with a ‘brew station’.

The developer adds: “We feel by carrying out these type of conversions that we can create smaller commercial units on the ground floor, which enables the rateable values of these units to decrease to a level whereby smaller businesses can qualify for business rates relief, which gives them more of a chance to survive.

“Also, by creating residential units on the upper floors, this will create more footfall in the town centre, which should benefit the businesses in the town.”

In a letter the developer said having too many HMO’s can be seen as a ‘bad thing’ but added the applicant feels there was a need for ‘well designed’ shared houses.

Councillor Bill McEwan (Ormsgill and Parkside, Labour) spoke of his support for the proposals and said it ‘cleans up the area’ and would ‘bring footfall’.