OFFICES and shops in the heart of historic Worcester are set to be transformed into flats and town houses.

Buildings along New Street, in the city centre, will be knocked down and converted into four small apartments as well as seven townhouses.

The area's frontage is currently occupied by Mountainshack, a specialist outdoor clothing and equipment, shop, while the building set to be demolished used to house famous city bicycle shop F Lewis.

Last year, we reported how the cycle shop, thought to be the oldest in the country, left its home in New Street after 126 years to move to a shop in Railway Arch, Farrier Street, because the premises were sold.

The buildings at 21 to 24b, next to Windsor Way, leading to City Walls Road, will be converted into four one-bedroom flats and six two-bedroom townhouses, while there are also plans to build one house with three or four bedrooms.

Although the shop occupied by Mountainshack will remain, it is unclear if the business will stay. No one at the firm was willing to comment when contacted by the Worcester News.

The site currently has a car park which has been incorporated into the proposals so there will be spaces for people living in the flats and town houses.

Worcester City Council proposals and appeals planning officer Mark Taylor said: "It's quite nice to see some townhouses as well as flats - it's a reasonable mix.

"I think there are plenty of flats in the city centre at the moment so I think they are at a premium."

However, he said if the plans submitted by Pacemark Properties Ltd get the go-ahead they will not be classed as affordable homes because they do not meet the requirements.

An environmental consultancy firm has requested a professional supervises the demolotion of the building to ensure no bats are present and that any wildlife or vegetation is left unharmed.

The firm also requested at least one bat roost is incorporated into each building.