Plans to turn 19th Century factory into houses

Fresh plans have been submitted to turn a former ribbon factory in Nuneaton into housing.

Philips Tuftex Ltd, which owns a section of the 19th Century Albion Buildings in Attleborough Road, wants to convert the site into 15 houses.

Previous plans to build 29 flats were approved in May, but developers said attempts to market them had been unsuccessful "due to the estimated build cost" of the project.

In its latest application, it said it hoped converting the site into houses, without the addition of an extra storey, would be "more financially viable". Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is yet to make a decision on the application.

In attached documents, the developers said the existing buildings were no longer suitable for their current purpose and were "in need of extensive modernisation and refurbishment".

The plans also include the demolition and replacement of more recent extensions at the back of the site, which developers said were of "poor construction, requiring attention".

Under the plans, the site would be turned into 13 two-bedroom houses, one two-bedroom home and one one-bedroom property.

Planning documents said the proposals would "significantly improve the area by refurbishing a dilapidated building which is in much need of attention and which is currently to the detriment of the adjoining properties".

Originally, the building was made up of three-storey cottage workshops, the documents said, adding that the top floor was removed in the 1960s to allow the removal of a steam engine and drive gear.

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