Disused Shoe Factory Slated for Apartment Conversion

A disused shoe factory situated close to Stafford town centre is slated for conversion into residential units. The site, located on Marston Road, will accommodate nine two-bedroom apartments following the approval by councillors to alter its designated use. The Stafford Borough Council’s planning committee was informed that the structure, constructed in the 1870s, currently stands empty, having previously served as a licensed club, a dance studio, and a gym. Members of the council commended proposals to preserve the building’s exterior, which historically played a central role in Stafford’s shoemaking sector. Erected for Thomas Mottram, it represents one of the final remaining former shoe factories in the town that still largely maintains its original window configuration. To mitigate impact on adjacent properties, committee members consented to restrict construction hours, permitting work from 09:00 to 17:00 GMT Monday through Friday, and until 14:00 on Saturdays. Councillor Frances Beatty stated: “It is a very important part of Stafford – the last part of the shoe industry as the buildings are either the factories or houses the workers used to live in. “It is extremely important the building should stay unaltered on its facade and we should not lose the historic character.”Secondly, we are short of two-bedroom apartments; they meet housing needs in Stafford that are not met. “Because it’s in town, it has a lot of advantages for people who can’t afford to have a car to have a home of their own.” The Local Democracy Reporting Service, which reports on councils and other public service bodies, compiled this information.