Hanley City Central Library, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3RS Data via plota.co.uk

71068/FUL - Full Planning Permission Approved

Proposal

Elevational alterations to the external façade, vertical extension to provide additional storeys, subdivision and change of use to provide 89 No. residential units (use class C3) to the ground and upper floors and 5 No. commercial units (use... Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked 3 Oct 2026, 08:18

Application progress

✓

Received

29 May 2024

✓

Validated

12 Sept 2024

✓

Committee

21 Jan 2026

✓

Approved

23 Jan 2026

Approved on 23 Jan 2026 · Committee · Last checked 1 Oct 2026

Planning committee

Decided by Stoke on Trent Development Management on 21 Jan 2026.

Approved

As officers recommended.

Officers advised approval because the scheme would provide housing, commercial uses and regeneration benefits despite heritage concerns.
Consultees generally raised no objections, while two representations opposed the changes to the locally listed library building.
The committee approved the application subject to conditions and planning obligations, including a sports and leisure contribution.

Read how the committee decided The proposal, site history, officers’ assessment, consultation responses, public comments, speaker and the committee’s decision.

Source: Plota analysis of Stoke on Trent's committee minutes of 21 Jan 2026.

Documents 131

Decision & officer reports 2

PDF 50. FUL Decision Notice Decision Notice · 23 Jan 2026 View ↗ PDF Officer Report Officer Report · 12 Jan 2026 View ↗

Statements & assessments 43

Plans & drawings 33

Application forms 1

PDF APPLICATION FORM Application Documents · 29 May 2024 View ↗

Consultation & comments 30

Site constraints 4

City Centre conservation area

Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.

The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.

Council document ↗

Air quality management area: Stoke On Trent Air Quality Management Area 2011

The council has declared the area as failing an air quality objective.

Schemes that add traffic, parking or combustion plant are assessed against the area's action plan and may need an air quality assessment.

Council record ↗

Also on the record

4 listed buildings within 150 m of the postcode pin; Inside the Stoke-on-Trent built-up area.

Not affected

Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 18 September 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Other new applications on this street

25 May 2026Approved

Hanley Police Station, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke On Trent, ST1 3DE

Discharge of conditions 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 14 of permission 71149/FUL

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Nearby new applications

15 Sept 2026Pending

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10 Sept 2026Pending

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23 Jun 2026Pending

Lloyds Bank, 1 Fountain Square, Hanley, Stoke-on-trent, City Of Stoke-on-trent, ST1 1LE

Replacement of existing gate with railing & mesh with new taller gate

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23 Jul 2026Pending

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9 Jul 2026Pending

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9 Jul 2026Approved

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Important details

Council: Stoke on Trent
Application type: Full Planning Permission
Postcode: ST1 3RS
Received: 29 May 2024
Validated: 12 Sept 2024
Ward: Etruria & Hanley
Case officer: Show
Target decision: 6 Feb 2026
Decision: Grant with Conditions
Decision date: 23 Jan 2026
Decision level: Committee
Applicant: Show
Agent: Wood Goldstraw & Yorath

How this decision compares

Decided in 498 days from validation, 387 days slower than Stoke on Trent's median of 111 for changes of use. Approved, as 72% of changes of use here are.

This one498d

Council111d

UK56d

22%decided within 8 weeks

72%approved

135decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Stoke on Trent in the last twelve months, from validation. Stoke on Trent decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Statutory expiry: 6 Feb 2026

Historical activity at this location

11 previous applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

This property

Previous applications at this address

2023 Refused

Conversion of the ground and upper floors to residential apartments, the basement to a gy…

70012/FUL 1 Nov 2023

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Approved

Potteries Museum And Art Gallery Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-trent, City Of Stoke-on-trent, ST1 3DW

Certificate of (proposed) lawful development for the erection of cultural wayfinding mark…

25/CLP/00706 23 Oct 2025

2025 Approved

Potteries Museum And Art Gallery Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-trent, City Of Stoke-on-trent, ST1 3DW

Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) of permission 71330/FUL, to amend external work…

25/VAR/00637 9 Oct 2025

2024 Approved

Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3DW

Alterations and refurbishment to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery including new exter…

71330/FUL 4 Apr 2025

2023 Approved

Victoria Hall, Bagnall Street, Hanley, Stoke On Trent, St1 3bp ,

Installation of internal wireless access points (Listed Building Consent)

70523/LBC 11 Mar 2024

2022 Approved

Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3DW

Certificate of (proposed) lawful development for a licenced venue for wedding ceremonies

68567/CLP 23 Feb 2023

2022

Potteries Museum And Art Gallery bethesda Street hanley stoke-on-trent, ST1 3DW

Installation of a new 2.1m high fence fronting Bethesda Street, 4.8m high fence under the…

67802/FUL 8 Mar 2022

2020 Approved

Smithfield One, Warner Street, Hanley, ST1 3DR

Change of use of ground and first floor to office to (B1)

64910/FUL 27 Feb 2020

2019 Approved

Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3DW

Variation of condition 3 to secure alternative parking provision of permission 63340/FUL

64109/VAR 22 Aug 2019

2018 Approved

Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3DW

Refurbishment, partial demolition and two storey extension to the Potteries Museum to pro…

63340/FUL 1 Feb 2019

2017 Approved

Central Boiler House, Warner Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3DR

Extension to existing library car park, elevation alterations to boiler house, erection o…

61794/FUL 12 Dec 2017

Stoke on Trent

Planning Authority Score

1.4/10

Poor

#283 of 296 councils

Relevant to this application:

Change of use

Stoke on Trent is one of the slowest councils in England for householder decisions, ranking #286 out of 296. The council extends the time limit on 75% of applications - one of the highest rates in England. Expect your application to take longer than the standard deadline. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (91%) than the national average (90%).

Among the slowest councils in England

for householder decisions

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance

Stoke on Trent decision statistics

Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026

88%

Overall approval rate

Above avg (87%) #162 of 296

91%

Householder approved

Above avg (90%) #181 of 296

28%

Decided in 8 weeks

Below avg (63%) #286 of 296

75%

Extended time limit

Above avg (41%) #294 of 296

67%

Minor dwellings approved

27 decided (1-9 homes)

88%

Major dwellings approved

17 decided (10+ homes)

79%

Change of use approved

68 decided

475

Total decisions

58 refused in the year to March 2026