PLANS have been submitted to convert a derelict former Mechanics’ Institute and Reading Room into a new home.

Built in the 1860s on the corner of Leonard Street and Spring Street in Shuttleworth, the stone building originally housed a subscription library and newsroom created to give access for working class men to literature.

The building later became home to the Bank Lane Friendly Burial Society, for which it still bears the name plaque.

Burial societies were established in the Victorian era to enable members to save for their burial and help their families with the costs.

The society eventually eventually became part of the Oddfellows Society after which the building was used for farm storage before falling into a state of semi-dereliction.

According to the plans submitted by MBED Architects, the proposal involves “the remodelling and conversion of the building into a single dwelling. The scheme has been careful to retain the features that contribute to and establish the primary character of the building, whilst securing a sustainable new use.”

Planning permission was previously granted for a similar conversion in 2014 and 2015.