CORNWALL Council is considering a planning application to convert the grade II-listed Nebula Guest House in Higher Lux Street, Liskeard, into a mix of supported living self-contained flats and en-suite bedsitting rooms, with a community hub on the ground floor.

The application comes from Nell Homes Ltd which, recently received planning approval to convert a Henry Rice-designed Victorian property in Manley Road, Liskeard, into flats.

The end-of-terrace town house currently run as the Nebula Guest House dates from the early 19th century but is a remodelling of an earlier building. It lies within the Liskeard Conservation Area.

According to Liskeard Old Cornwall Society, in 1841 the Nebula property was occupied as the family home of the highly respected land surveyor Richard Coad, with his wife Grace, nine children and two domestic servants. Richard Coad was surveyor to the Liskeard & Looe Union Canal Co in 1825, then to the Liskeard & Caradon Railway in 1843 and then the Liskeard Turnpike Trust in 1855. He also designed or oversaw many ecclesiastical buildings in England and Wales.

While the building is currently used as a guest house with seven en-suite letting rooms, a guest lounge, dining facilities and a bar at ground floor, plus attached owners’ living accommodation and office together with large private car park, the application – prepared by Verve Planning on behalf of applicants Nell Homes Ltd – states that recent attempts to sell the business as a going concern have been unsuccessful.

Nell Homes Ltd’s planning application states that the four proposed self-contained flats have been designed for single occupancy with each flat having its own front door and containing a kitchen, living space, wet room and bedroom.

It add that the four bedsitting rooms would also be “generous in size, with each containing their own en-suite and tea point facilities”. The tenants of the bedsits would also have a high standard of shared facilities, including a large communal living, dining and kitchen area at ground-floor level. The idea is that these shared facilities would also be available for the occupiers of the self-contained flats to use “thereby fostering social interaction between all of the tenants”.

Nell Homes Ltd would be the retained landlord of the property and would be responsible for the management and maintenance of the communal areas and external amenity space.

Adequate refuse and recycling facilities would be housed at the rear of the property and ten parking spaces would be retained.

While the proposals would involve limited works to the interior, this would include the removal of some internal walls, some of which are modern partitions.

The application, on which a decision is currently awaited, can be seen on the Cornwall Council planning portal under ref PA21/05546.