Plans to turn office building into flats approved

Plans to turn an office block in Leicester city centre into flats have been given the go-ahead.

Leicester City Council approved a planning application from developer Dancap Waterloo to convert the seven-storey Arnhem House in Waterloo Way into 86 flats on Tuesday.

A previous application to turn the building in 91 flats was refused in March 2025, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

At the time, planning officers described some of the proposed flats as "gloomy" and "bleak", the LDRS said.

The majority of the flats - 84 - will be one-bedroom properties. The remaining two will be two-bedroom apartments.

Under the approved plans, the top two floors of the building will not be used as accommodation.

The developer said they would instead be sealed off and "retained as sterile for the lifetime of the development".

In planning documents, the developer said all of the flats would be compliant with daylight standards and include storage space.

The firm also said 42 parking spaces and 60 cycle spaces would be included.

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.