Trafford Council has officially granted planning permission for the conversion of a former medical centre into five new homes.
The decision marks the final green light for a project that will breathe new life into St Johns Medical Centre on St Johns Road.
Originally constructed as St John’s School in the 1870s, the building served the Altrincham community for over a century before becoming a medical centre in the 1980s.
After the medical practice relocated to the Altrincham Health and Wellbeing Centre in 2019, the site - located within The Downs Conservation Area - remained vacant.
The newly approved plans, submitted by the Quinta Group, involve the conversion of the former medical centre into five new dwellings designed as family-sized homes.
The project preserves the historic 19th century facade while adding modern zinc-clad roofing, with each property featuring a basement, car port, and landscaped gardens.
The application was determined under delegated powers and faced a rigorous assessment due to its proximity to the Grade II listed Church of St John the Evangelist.
While Council heritage officers noted "minor harm" to the conservation area's setting due to the addition of a flue and a new timber fence, they concluded that this was outweighed by the public benefit of bringing a significant heritage asset back into viable use and contributing to the borough's housing supply.
"The proposals would enable completion of the dwellings... ensuring that the heritage asset is brought back into a long-term and viable use," the planning report noted.
Construction on the main building is already substantially complete, with the focus now shifting to finishing the car port and final landscaping works.
