Former band club in Higham Ferrers could be turned into flats

A former band club could be given a new lease of life with plans to turn the building into flats.

Lancaster Homes has submitted plans to convert Higham Ferrers Band Club into 10 dwellings with external alterations to provide new windows, doors and 15 off-street car parking spaces.

The building in Wharf Road is opposite Higham Ferrers Nursery, Infant and Junior Schools and has always been used as a members club of sorts.

Documents submitted as part of the application say: "The existing building is currently in use by the Higham Ferrers Town Band Club which is a private members social club.

"The application is supported by the accounts for the club which show a consistently underperforming business endemic of the nature of private members clubs of this type."

They add that with 16 social and members clubs within the area, these clubs would meet the needs of people in Higham Ferrers and Rushden despite the loss of this band club.

If the plans are approved, the applicants say the scale of the building would remain unchanged.

They are not looking to demolish the building but extend it above a single storey area to the east elevation of the main building together with the addition of windows and doors.

The main access would be from Wharf Road and parking would be to the rear of the building.

The proposed flats would be in private ownership and would be a mix of one and two bedrooms.

However, several people have objected to the plans which will be considered by East Northants Council.

One comment published on the council website says: "We already have complaints from residents on a regular basis so this will increase if there are more cars and more traffic on Wharf Road.

"This will impact on children getting to school or being collected from school on time and will cause a greater risks for traffic accidents and the negative impact on current residents."

Another comment reads: "It is already dangerous as parking is such an issue and this development will make matters worse."

For more information on the plans, search for 20/00090/FUL on the planning page of the council website.