FRESH plans have been submitted for the conversion of an old almshouse building in York city centre into a restaurant.

Original proposals for the change of use of the Dorothy Wilson's Almshouse building in Walmgate were withdrawn after several key concerns were raised by City of York Council and English Heritage.

These included the impact of the changes on the Grade II listed building, on the conservation area and on residential amenity, and also the flood risks from the adjacent River Foss. Further information was also requested to demonstrate why residential use was no longer feasible on the ground floor.

The application again seeks permission to convert the ground floor into a restaurant, using the garden at the back, with retained and improved residential use on the upper floors.

An application document says consideration is to be given to the impact on adjacent residential properties in terms of noise levels from plant, and restrictions may be imposed on the use of external areas to avoid noise disruption to neighbouring residential properties.

"The existing storage area would provide adequate bin storage to serve the residential and restaurant space along with a secure cycle store," it says.

"The site is within Flood Zone 3 where flood risk is high. The current use has dwellings at ground floor. The proposed restaurant use is less vulnerable in terms of flood risk. As such there is no conflict with policy regarding flood risk."

The document states that the riverside location, the garden to the rear of the property and the historical character within the building and the adjoining cottage 'provides an ideal opportunity to create a high quality food and drink use, enhancing the offer within this area of York.'

It says values achieved through residential use of the ground floor would be considerably less than the investment required to undertake the development, creating a 'conservation deficit.'

"The high level of flood risk associated with the ground floor accommodation which was demonstrated in the recent floods in December 2015, whereby the School Masters House and basement areas were flooded, has a considerable impact on the potential sale/letting of the ground floor for residential use,"it adds.

The Grade II listed building, which sits on the Foss bridge opposite Loch Fyne restaurant, was established by the will of Dorothy Wilson who died in 1719, and it was rebuilt in 1812.

A panel records the foundation of Dorothy Wilson's charity for the "maintenance of ten poor Women as also for the instruction in English, Reading, Writing and Clothing of twenty poor Boys for ever."