A change-of-use planning application has been submitted for 59 new flats in a Welwyn Garden City industrial estate.

Following the trend for residential developments on the east side of WGC, developer Anglodane (Welwyn) Ltd has put in a change-of-use planning application to the council for the Norton building on Bridge Road East, opposite B&Q.

The 1930s building, best known for housing the Norton Gym and surrounded mainly by industrial units, currently holds offices.

In the proposal, the offices would be turned into flats, with 111 car parking spaces and 64 cycle parking spaces.

The proposal argues that the project is sited with excellent transport links, and states that the total number of car journeys in and out of the site at peak hours would be lower than it is currently.

The Norton Gym would continue to trade as normal.

However, an initial application was refused on 25 June, as “minor to significant” contamination was found west of the site.

The new proposal argues that the developer will take measures to reduce that risk to a more acceptable level.

This is not the first attempt to turn the Norton building into flats, after the council turned down a prior approval request from Hammersmith Properties as part of a plan to convert it into 57 flats in 2014.

• READ MORE: Welwyn Garden City industrial site could be turned into homes

The current application can be viewed and commented on at www.welhat.gov.uk/planning reference number 6/2018/2080/PN11