Shropshire Council planners have given the go-ahead to plans to convert rooms at a four-storey townhouse in the middle of one of Ludlow’s busiest streets.

The upper storeys of 4 to 5 King Street, above Costa Coffee, have been empty for years despite the interest of various developers up to 2009, when plans to bring the rooms back into use stalled.

But now it looks as though that might change as SEP Properties Ltd has been given permission to create six flats in the Grade II listed property – as longs as a list of 18 conditions are met to safeguard the historical building and its setting.

The plans, supported by Ludlow Town Council, have been passed by Shropshire Council officers, without needing to go before the authority’s south planning committee. They include an extension which is to be built at the back on the upper floors, to extend the rear staircase.

The developers say the extension will be in keeping with the rest of the building and the work will not put any historical features of it at risk.

Planning officer Tim Rogers said in his report:  “The extension would not result in the loss of significant historic fabric or harm the special architectural character and historic interest of the listed building.”

He said the planned internal work would also do “no harm to the heritage assets of the development site.”

He added: “Overall it is considered that the scheme sensitively converts the upper floors of the building taking account of the historic details and subdividing in an appropriate manner.

“The scheme will preserve the use of the building without detrimentally impacting on the significance of its character, fabric or appearance, or that of the adjacent St Laurence’s Church,” he said.

He said a full historic assessment of the buildings, which was undertaken as part of plans in 2009 that stalled.

Lee Mountford, speaking for agents Johnson Fellows LLP, said there had been a number of applications up to 2009 that had not come to fruition. Since 2009 nothing had happened due to the downturn in the economy, he said, but now developers were keen to push ahead with the redevelopment.

He said features to be kept include an internal staircase to the ground floor, wood panelling on the first floor and original fire places.

The renovation will be finished with cast iron rainwater good and reclaimed natural slates, to match what is already there, he said.