Plans to demolish a vacant historic York malt house to make way for an aparthotel, flats and new commercial space have been lodged.
The plans would see the disused 19th century building in The Crescent, off Blossom Street, torn down and 20 visitor apartments, nine flats and business space built in its place.
Applications Crescent Developments Ltd stated its plans would support York’s tourism sector and boost the city’s housing supply while safeguarding a neighbouring community music venue.
It added the plans had been revised following the approval of a previous application in 2023 to build offices on the site which have since been deemed unviable.
The vacant two-storey brick malt house which would be demolished first appeared on maps and in local records in the late 19th century.
It was used as a malt house into the 1930s, according to the application lodged with York Council.
The building was last home to the York Brewing Company but it has been vacant since 2016 except for temporary meanwhile uses.
The front of the malt house would be retained and incorporated into the ground floor of the new building, according to the plans.
Red bricks are proposed for the outside of the building to match the Victorian terraces which make up much of The Crescent.
The ground floor would feature 550sqm of commercial space and cycle storage, parking spaces and bin storage areas are also planned for the development.
Noise control measures are proposed as part of the development which would be next door to The Crescent Community Venue which hosts live music gigs.
The rest of the new block of buildings would be between five and six storeys high, with an elevated rear roof designed to resemble a historic malt kiln.
There are 15 studio, three one-bed and two two-bedroom apartments planned for the hotel part of the building.
Two one-bed and five two-bed flats along with two two-bedroom depluxes make up the residential units.
Previous plans for offices on the site looked at potentially keeping and converting the malt house rather than tearing it down.
Assessments found it would have made the scheme unviable.
Permission remains in place for the offices which were backed by the council’s Planning Committee in 2021 and given the go-ahead by the authority’s officers in 2023.
The latest application stated the developers had been unsuccessful in marketing the offices due to the current economic climate, leading to new plans being drawn up.
Plans stated: “Benefits include the redevelopment of a long-vacant brownfield site in a highly sustainable and accessible location, restoring it to an active, viable long-term use.
“This would be a contemporary, high-quality building that responds positively to its setting and enriches the street-scape of The Crescent.
“Retention of the original frontage and the kiln-inspired roof profile reinforce the site’s industrial heritage in a contemporary way.”
