YORK Civic Trust has praised a new development near the city centre that will help to protect and enhance its architectural heritage by reviving an historic building.

York-based development company S Harrison started work on the scheme in Lawrence Street earlier this summer to transform a former Working Men’s Club and The Tam O’ Shanter public house into 115-bedroom student accommodation.

The Grade II-Listed club was originally the family home of Samuel Tuke, who helped to pioneer new and humane methods of treating the mentally ill.

Dr David Fraser, trust chief executive, said: “We are very pleased to see this building being restored and given a new lease of life.

“After standing empty for the last decade, and being underused for many years, we were in danger of losing it completely.” He congratulated S Harrison for taking on the complex project.