Plans for historic Deans Court in Cathedral Precincts to become flats approved

The 19th century Grade II listed building is currently being used as offices but has been unoccupied for the past two years.

The building is owned by the The Hastings Trust which supports the cathedral’s musical traditions.

Tim Alban Jones, Vice Dean of the cathedral and trustee of The Hastings Trust, previously told the Peterborough Telegraph that the plans would bring Deans Court back to life and provide a home for the Cathedral Choir’s scholars.

He added: “There’s been no interest at all in people taking it up as offices so we thought it was a bit of a shame that this wonderful building in a prime position has not been occupied.

“So we want to try and do something else. You won’t get a better location than this.

“We’ve got a number of young people singing in the choir as lay clerks and choral scholars who have finished university and are singing in the choir for a year. We pay them a small fee.

“We would accommodate three of them in one of the flats and they would also help to contribute to the community.”

Commenting on the news that planning permission has been received, Simon Nurser from the trust said: “The trustees are very pleased to have received full planning permission and eare xcited to press ahead with the project. Preparatory work continues and they hope shortly to be able to go out to tender for the building work involved.

“The architects - Smithers Purslow - with an imaginative design set out to preserve as much of the original three cottages special features as possible and to create high quality modern accommodation.

“This is historically a very interesting building and the work will be in part supervised by an archaeologist to ensure that its best features are understood and as much as possible learnt about the building.

“For further information about this project or the work of the trust please contact [email protected].”

Deans Court was built in the 19th century, originally as cottages.

Since then it has had a variety of uses.

One of the flats will be used by the trust and three will be rented out privately.