By Nick Griffiths

Last updated at 13:57, Friday, 21 December 2012

A firm has been the go-ahead to transform a historic building into luxury flats – and the development is set to be finished by next autumn.

Lime House in Wetheral

Lime House, which overlooks The Green at Wetheral, near Carlisle, has previously housed a girls’ school, a care home and a probation office.

Builder Magnus Homes landed the property, which it described as being in “one of the most sought-after residential areas” in the county.

A planning application was submitted to turn the building into nine “spacious luxury apartments”. Permission has now been granted by city planners.

Frank Lowe, chairman of Magnus Homes, told The Cumberland News: “We are delighted.

“We put a lot of work into the design of it and we believe it will complement the properties around the area and The Green itself.

“For a completion date, we are looking at August or September next year.”

Mr Lowe said the firm was in discussion with its estate agents regarding prices and other details.

“At the end of January we’ll start to get some information out regarding sales,” he added.

The imposing sandstone building was originally built as two semi-detached houses. It was transformed into a girls’ boarding school in the mid-19th century.

The school was later switched to Dalston where it still bears the Lime House name.

Lime House in Wetheral was recently the headquarters of Cumbria Probation Service.

The building was put on the market earlier this year for £795,000. Estate agents said it attracted “strong interest”, describing it as a “fantastic building”.

Magnus Homes, based at Victoria Viaduct in Carlisle city centre, describes itself as “a company that specialises in building high quality individual homes”.

One of its biggest developments has been at Pears House on the harbour front at Whitehaven, which is a mix of shops and 33 flats, all with sea views.

First published at 13:56, Friday, 21 December 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk