PLANS to create 18 affordable flats at Ulverston Town Hall have been lodged with South Lakeland District Council.

The late Victorian building with its ornate plasterwork ceiling, bold timber door surrounds and glazed roof lay-lights is "a well-known local landmark and has performed a public role for many decades", according to planning documents.

The council chamber hosted civic discussion and debate for more than 120 years until Ulverston Town Council relocated its monthly meetings to the Coronation Hall's supper room, in a bid to help secure the Coro's future.

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Social landlord South Lakes Housing held a public consultation in July to share its plans to convert the former town hall into nine affordable rented apartments. A further nine rented flats are planned for a new annexe, to be built behind the Queen Street building.

In planning documents, the town hall is described as "intrinsically woven into the history of the town" and as "a fine building with a strong presence on one of Ulverston’s primary vistas, Queen Street".

The council chamber fittings and timber door surrounds would have to be stripped out, but South Lakes Housing hopes to find "appropriate new homes for these important features".

The town hall's stucco render exterior, with its sash windows and slate roof, is to be kept "as intact as possible".

It is hoped the 13 one-bed flats and five two-bed apartments will help to fulfill some of Ulverston's affordable housing need. According to 2014 figures, some 185 affordable homes were required in the town.

Half the cost of the conversion and new build would be grant-funded by SLDC and the Homes and Communities Agency.