A VILLAGE post office which closed towards the end of last year could be converted into apartments.

The building in Overton, Wrexham, shut its doors for the last time in September 2018 after its owner decided it was no longer viable.

After selling at auction, a planning application has now been entered to transform the property on the village’s High Street into six apartments.

It includes proposals to demolish an existing two-storey extension to create a new one.

Architects acting on behalf of the developers behind the scheme said the building was in a state of disrepair and required ‘considerable’ investment.

In a planning statement, they said: “The owner was seeking to retire for some time and had made several attempts to sell the business and buildings to numerous people for the past eight years.

“Although he had received a number of offers, the scale and cost to redevelop the premises resulted in interested parties not proceeding any further.

“It was therefore decided to close the Post Office at the end of September 2018 as it was considered no longer viable to operate as a profitable business.

“The building was then marketed for a period of three months and subsequently went to auction last year towards the end of 2018.

“It is understood that there is a continued local need and demand for affordable residential accommodation within the district which is also evident and compatible with the adjoining property uses.

“We believe that the proposed development offers a suitable, sustainable and creative response to arrest the present state of the buildings and the site, with the existing shop front and facade to the High Street benefitting from sensitive and sympathetic reinstatement, repair and redecoration.”

Since the closure, a community post office has been set up at Overton Village Hall, which is open on a Tuesday morning.

According to the documents, the outbuildings to the back of the old post office are considered to be in an unsafe condition and would be demolished and replaced.

The development does not include any provision for parking, however it has been claimed that the proposed demand for space would be lower than when the business was open.

The application will be considered by Wrexham Council at a future date.