PLANS to transform the building that once housed Andover’s job centre have been re-submitted more than a year after it closed.

Jobcentre Plus moved to Test Valley Borough Council’s (TVBC) Beech Hurst offices in March last year, and since then Crown Buildings, in London Street, has remained empty.

The first, second and third floors of the building have been in use since 1979, with the most recent lease only ending in 2018.

A planning application submitted by Fairmist Homes to the council last year asking to change the offices into 46 apartments was withdrawn, but this week a new application has been lodged.

The new bid will see a reduced number of dwellings to 38 at the 0.21-hectare four storey building.

The application states: “The site is within a highly sustainable location with the defined Andover Town Centre boundary area and is surrounded by mixed uses and as such in proximity to a range of shops, facilities and services in addition to local public transport.”

Although the ground floor, which previously housed the job centre, is not part of the proposal it has been said that the entrance lobby areas will be used as access to the upper floors.

The matter of parking has also been addressed by the developer.

It adds: “There are 30 existing parking spaces on site which will be used for occupiers of the residential units and a further three spaces are proposed.”

The building was sold by Myddelton and Major estate agents under offer, advertised at £2,250,000.

A noise impact assessment carried out for the previous plan concluded that the development should have secondary glazing and mechanical ventilation for bedrooms overlooking the public entertainment venues.