Defence Online

A listed 18th century building, which was originally built as a hotel and previously served as a police station and courts, is set to be converted into residential accommodation if newly-submitted plans are approved.PegasusLife, via agent Barton Willmore, has submitted planning and listed building applications for the conversion of the grade II-listed John Dower House in Cheltenham into retirement flats.The building was originally constructed in about 1820 as Liddell’s Boarding House, one of the first hotels for visitors to the spa town.In In 1827 Adelaide, Duchess of Clarence, who was later to become Queen Consort to William IV, stayed at the hotel during a tour of the country. As a result it features the Royal Coat of Arms and was renamed as the Clarence Hotel in her honour.In 1859 the property became a court house and police station and remained in this use until 1970 when it was converted to offices.An extension was added to the rear of the building in 1971 and the government’s Countryside Commission took occupation in 1974 and renamed it as John Dower House in honour of one of the leading pioneers of national parks in England and Wales.The department, which later became the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, left the building in 2010 and it has remained vacant since then.Under PegasusLife’s proposals the grade II-listed building would be converted to provide 11 retirement apartments. A new building of between three and six storeys would be constructed with the development providing a total of 80 flats.A shared lounge, porter’s lodge and communal and private residents’ gardens would also be provided.Planning permission was granted in February 2016 for 68 apartments. The revised proposals cover the demolition of the two-storey 1980s office building at 66 St George’s Place to extend the development site further to the south.The scheme was designed by Proctor and Matthews Architects.