Hereford shop could be turned into university houses

Developers said they want to add two new storeys to the building in Eign Gate, Hereford, so most of the building can be home to New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) students.

As part of the application submitted to Herefordshire Council, Universal Properties said it wanted to cut the size of the retail space on the ground floor from 182m2 to 130m2.

The building could then become two houses of multiple occupancy (HMO) for students studying at Hereford's new university, which should open later this year, if plans are approved.

An artist's impression of what the new development in Eign Gate, Hereford, could look like. Picture: Hookmason Consulting/Herefordshire Council

A design and access statement submitted with the application said the last tenant of the shop was BrightHouse, the rent-to-own company which plunged into administration in March 2020.

Consultants working on the scheme said the key principle would be to split the building between a reduced scale retail area and residential use.

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The principal façade in Eign Gate would "retain the retail identity", the statement said, while the rear of the building in West Street would take "take on a new identity as the entrance to the residential development".

An artist's impression of the new development from Eign Gate. Picture: Hookmason Consulting/Herefordshire Council

"The reduced retail area is proposed to make the area more desirable as a modern retail unit," it said.

"A store room creates the separation between the two functions with a door connecting the retail area to the residential ground floor corridor, for use as emergency egress in the case of fire.

"The ground floor residential area accommodates the West Street entrance and vertical access through the building.

"This is visually apparent with a glass façade between the stairwell and street. A bin store and bike store for the residential users is accessible from both the ground floor shared accommodation and from a street access on West Street."

The new development from West Street. Picture: Hookmason Consulting/Herefordshire Council

It adds: "The residential accommodation comprises two HMOs.

"Each has shared facilities of kitchen, relaxation area and laundry facilities and are split between the upper floors of the Eign Gate elevation as one unit and the proposed four floors of West street as the second unit."

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"Interest has been expressed for the letting of the HMOs by both NMITE and local estate agents," it added.

An artist's impression of the rear of the development. Picture: Hookmason Consulting/Herefordshire Council

Plans show each house would have at least four bedrooms, but did not give an exact number.

Comments on application 210864 can be made until May 7, with a decision expected by the end of June.