A BUILDING in Festival Place's town centre will get a new look after plans were approved by officers.

Permission to replace the windows at Haymarket House in Wote Street was granted by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in a decision made on October 3.

The developer, architectural design company Lyondale, says the proposals will have a 'much greater positive impact on the building-use and the wider local area as it will improve the quality of living in the existing flats'.

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They added that the plans will also 'enhance the appearance of the building and of 'Top of the Town' character area. 

Haymarket House includes a number of businesses, including Mobile Master and Evapo, in addition to 10 flats on the building's first and second floors.

The site is located in the town centre's conservation area, meaning planning officers must pay 'particular attention' to the scale, height, form, and materials of proposals.

The windows, made of aluminium, 'produce moisture, let in noise and are badly insulated' according to the developer, which 'does not provide a good standard of living' for residents.

New windows due to be installed will be made of UPVC, a low-maintenance building material used as a substitute for painted wood, which will 'improve the quality of the windows' and 'enhance the notable character' of the building.

Planning officers chose to grant the plans, subject to conditions, meaning the developer must take measures to mitigate and survey the amount of noise created by replacing the windows.