FRESH plans have been lodged to breathe new life into a landmark former hotel in the centre of York by turning it into affordable homes and possibly a supermarket.

The upper floors of the White Swan Hotel in Piccadilly will be converted into 18 flats – four more than previously approved by City of York Council – if the authority backs revised proposals for the historic building.

York has been awarded £450,000 to help convert the sections of the mock-Tudor building into housing and, as The Press revealed last month, hundreds of other flats or small offices could also be created above city-centre shops following a council-funded study by the North of England Civic Trust. Its findings showed 36 per cent of upper floors in properties in the heart of the city were unused and had the potential to become residential or office space. Talks have been taking place about the White Swan between its owners, the Graham Family Trust, the council and the Fabrick Group, which runs affordable housing provider Tees Valley Housing Association.

The authority approved 14 apartments on the former hotel’s upper floors – which have been empty for more than 30 years – last December, with new shops, a restaurant, a bar or a combination of these uses at ground-floor level.

A new planning application, which has been submitted to planners, said the flats would be made available as affordable housing for 15 years, after which they would go on the general market. A statement by Gerald Eve, the planning agents for the scheme, said it hoped a supermarket chain would provide “a substantial retail presence” on the White Swan’s ground floor.

CoHo Ltd, the agents for Tees Valley Housing Association, said in their statement: “The White Swan Hotel presents an ideal opportunity to provide affordable housing in the centre of York, as there is a particular need for affordable smaller households within the city, particularly in view of the changes to the benefits system.

“The White Swan represents a very sustainable location, close to central services and public transport links. It is a prominent building which has been vacant for a period of time.”

A decision on the plans is expected to be made in October.