PLANS have been drawn up to turn the first and second floors of former retail premises into flats.

Proposals, submitted by applicant Simon Hamilton, seek to convert the empty building at 13 to 15 Church Street, St Helens, on the side near to Barclays bank.

Plans seek to change the use of the first and second floors to provide nine flats, along with a new front entrance, alterations to the windows on the front elevation and additional windows in the side and rear elevations.

The building is currently split into two retail units. The shop units on the ground floors, the larger one which was previously used by WH Smith, would be retained.

The plans submitted to St Helens Council state: "The building’s previous owners have made numerous attempts over the years to rent out the shops and maintain their use; however, this has not been successful with both units having been vacant for a number of years".

Plans seek to convert the smaller unit at 15 Church Street and part of the larger unit at 13 Church Street.

They state that estate agents have "confirmed that in the current economic climate and with the particular problems suffered by high streets across the country, there is some demand for the smaller unit, (number 15), but there is no demand for the larger unit (number 13), which provides almost 1,000 square metres of floor space over two floors".

The application adds: "Agents have obtained some interest in No. 13, but only for part of the unit.

"Therefore the obvious solution is to reduce the size of number 13 and to convert the undesirable portion, namely the first floor into residential flats."

Plans add: "The building has been vacant for many years and the applicant considers that the inward investment to the building, in this area of the town centre, will help to bring this building back into a competitive economic use, whilst providing a type and level of domestic accommodation that is in short supply."