PROPOSALS to turn Lichfield’s former library into apartments have been approved.
Developers have been given the go-ahead to convert The Friary into 21 homes.
The building has been closed since the library moved to St Mary’s Church in the city centre at the end of 2018.
A planning statement from Gr8Space Ltd said the historic elements of the building would be safeguarded as part of the conversion project:
“The building is a prominent structure and is Grade II Listed. It is also in the city conservation area and there are a number of other listed buildings and structures in the vicinity of the site.
“The proposed development will retain the original parts of the 1920s building. Later extensions unsuitable for residential conversion and detrimental to the character of the original building will be demolished. This also opens up the central courtyard part of the site for landscaping and parking.
“Externally, the original parts of the building are little changed, but previous uses as a school, college and then library have involved significant internal alteration.
“The proposal includes internal sub-division of the building to residential use, but it will be sensitive to existing features.
“The scheme will therefore respect and preserve the character of the existing building and provide benefit by bringing it back into viable use.”
Full details can be seen on Lichfield District Council’s planning website.
Seems like a good idea and a good place to put housing. No doubt there will be many who don’t understand reality and would prefer it remain empty rather than be sold and developed.
Disappointed this has been approved. The site could have been used for something much more beneficial to the local community either in terms of social or health care activities.
Place your bets! Vote thumbs up if you think it’ll be for 55+, thumbs down if they’ll make it available to all.
So will the now defunct Library sign opposite now be taken down ?
As with the Friasgate site so with the Friary building both will become residential building. Eight years ago there was massive opposition but the council waited for the dust to settle. They will get their own way to the detrement of both the loss of public use and facilities.
Many towns, villages and cities are experiencing mammoth housing expansion. The indigenous populations are universally opposed to this because of the knock on effects to many aspects of their daily lives. There are distopian overtones to what is happening to society and those representing it.
I’m still missing the library art gallery and museum from by the park. I used to virtually live there as a kid
This building was gifted to the people of Lichfield in 1920 for the good of all residents. It’s a sign of how detached local councils have become that it will now be sold off to private buyers.
They should have developed it into what we have in Chase town The Old Mining College. Small local businesses use the rooms at OMCC as their offices.
The Friary would be more central to Lichfield.
It is in the centre of Lichfield perfect for business meetings
Ah, nostalgia. When I was a sixth-former at King Edward V! boy’s grammar, a group of us used to catch the Walsall ‘bus at 4.00pm. It stopped outside the then Friary School (pictured) where the girls were waiting. Their ever-vigilant, always present, head-mistress, (Miss Gent?) would not let them on if any KESL boys were seen on the ‘bus. So, on the upper deck, we ducked down below window level out of sight. On came the girls and, as the ‘bus started, we were able to sit up and greet them. A different era, methinks.