New plans have been submitted by Merlin Cinemas to convert the former police station in St Ives – which the company bought in 2021 – into six one-bedroom flats and a one-bedroom maisonette. 

The Cornwall-based cinema group says converting the Art Deco building to small, low-cost apartments would be suitable for young people living and working in St Ives.

A previous planning application by the cinema company to convert the building into six studio apartments and three maisonettes was refused last year due to the poor layout of the ground and first floor apartments, which meant the bedrooms would have no windows. There were also a number of other design issues.

The brief was to redesign the scheme to ensure that the apartments have sufficient internal area to meet the nationally described space standards, with windows for every bedroom, therefore reducing the scheme from six studio apartments on the ground and first floors to four one-bedroom apartments.

The applicant has stated that the high purchase price of the building, coupled with the huge rise of construction costs and materials in recent years, means that for the project to be financially viable, it is essential to extend the second floor, to provide an apartment within a third floor roof extension.

The redesigned scheme seeks to refurbish and enhance the original Art Deco-style building, with modest extensions at the rear of the second floor and on the roof, which will provide sufficient contrast with the original building without detracting from its character.