Former Northampton town centre pub to become studio flats

The Eastgate, on Abington Street, near St Giles Terrace, closed in 2015, and the ground floor was made into a Burger King restaurant in 2016.

Plans have now been submitted to build a first and second-floor extension on top of the restaurant and create 14 studio flats, with room for 21 new residents.

Bicycle storage space, a bin area and an entrance lobby will also be built, with access from St Giles Terrace and Abington Street.

The Burger King restaurant will remain open and will not be affected by the developments.

The report says the project will "increase the number of affordable self-contained residential units."

Seven single-person flats and seven one-bed room flats with room for two residents will be built on the new development.

But residents have criticised the plans, with one writing: "I strongly object to this. It is over development. We do not need studio apartments."

There will also be no immediate parking to the site. Instead, a secure cycle storage area will be built to wall-mount bikes.

The site is also next to the St Giles Conservation Area, a six-acre area set up by the Northampton Borough Council to protect St Giles Church and surrounding historic buildings. The developers say this area will not be affected by the work.

The end-of-terrace plot was built in the 1930s, which also makes it a listed building.

The consultation period will run until February 14.