Plans to turn 34 Coney Street into 8 holiday apartments

Under the proposal, 34 Coney Street - formerly a Swarvoski jewellers - would become eight holiday apartments, with a small retail space retained.

The building - said to be in a state of "decay" - is one of ten currently empty in Coney Street, traditionally York's main shopping street.

Under plans submitted by James Potter, of JP York Ltd, Joseph Terry Grove, the holiday lets would be spread across five levels: the basement, first, second, third and fourth floor levels.

The front part of the ground floor of the Grade II-listed building would be kept for retail use.

As previously reported in The Press, the building was sold at auction in March this year for £465,000 - more than £100,000 above the starting price.

In the Design and Access statement submitted to the council, the applicant says the scheme would provide a "sustainable future for 34 Coney Street" which was in "a current state of decay and deterioration" in what is one of the city’s "primary shopping streets".

Street view of 34 Coney Street, above, and outline of one of the holiday let apartments planned

The statement reads: "The holiday let development proposals are presented following comprehensive market research as a means to bring back a viable use to the building which has lain empty since the premises were vacated by the last tenant, jewellers Swarovski in March 2017.

"At the time of assessment, number 34 is one of ten properties vacant and/or offered for let on Coney Street and the area has been earmarked by the Local Authority, York Bid and various other parties as being in need of investment and rejuvenation."

The plot is next to number 32 The Perfume Shop to the northwest and number 36 The Entertainer to the southeast. On the opposite side of the road are numbers 23 American Candy (formerly Poundland) and number 21, jewellers Ernest Jones.

The outbuilding at the rear of 34 Coney Street- images from Design and Access Statement

The plans reveal there is an outbuilding to the back of the building, complete with what could be an old printing press.

"In the outbuilding... a large timber framed screw press is

fixed to the far south-east corner of the ground floor room. This appears to be largely complete and is possibly a bookbinding press associated with the probable former use of the building."

To find out more about the application, or comment, visit https://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/ and search for the reference:21/02015/FUL.

For more public notices, check The Press and online at thepress.co.uk