PLANS to breathe new life into a vacant former care home in Carlisle have been submitted to Cumberland Council.

An application has been submitted to change the use of Croftlands, a former residential care home which previously housed up to ten patients with mental health issues, at 41 Durranhill Road, into four flats.

The proposal, submitted by Mr Tom Cairney of Darlington, County Durham, outlines the intention to carry out a 'full refurbishment of the property with internal alterations' to create one one-bedroom, two two-bedroom, and one three-bedroom flat, according to the heritage statement.

The application also proposes to demolish the single-storey appendages to the building, reducing it's overall footprint, and to provide nine parking spaces, to replace the four 'informal' parking spaces currently available at the property.

The statement says: "Whilst the lawful use of the building remains, it has since been vacated for a short period and been subject to elements of vandalism and a general decay in parts of the fabric of the building, both internally and externally.

"Works to address the vandalism have included the boarding up of all door and window openings with galvanised steel panels."

The proposal site is currently accessed from Durranhill Road via a gated entrance within a brick boundary wall.

The statement says: "Access to the site will be maintained from the existing entrance with some modifications to the opening to improve pedestrian and vehicular access.

In conclusion, the heritage statement says: "The proposals include for a significant improvement to the condition of the existing building and an upgrade in terms of the new windows, doors and roof.

"Currently the boundary to the gardens of numbers 12-16 is undefined and the proposals include for the forming of a native hedgerow along its length to provide screening between the sites.

"We consider that the improvements to the quality of the building, and boundary hedgerow, will have a positive impact upon the Conservation area from where it can be seen, namely the rear of properties 12-22 Wood Street and the more recent dwellings to Broadoaks Court.

"Any perceived less than substantial harm, if were alleged to exist, would be outweighed by the public benefit of bringing the building back into active use."