Shoppers have provided a mixed reaction to news a "vacant and unkempt" former town centre solicitor office will be demolished in favour of housing.
Plans were approved by Ashfield District Council at the end of May to knock down the former Hollis and Co office in Market Place, Sutton-in-Ashfield, and to replace it with homes.
A maximum of eight new townhouses will be built on the site once the vacant building is knocked down and a consultation period has concluded with residents.
The properties, which developers say would "make visual improvements" to the town centre area, will be in keeping with the nearby heritage - though no information has been provided about how they will look.
Shoppers in Sutton have reacted to the news, with some welcoming the redevelopment and others raising concerns about houses so close to the town centre.
Laura Green, 41, who was visiting the town and parked in the nearby car park, says Sutton can "get quite rowdy" after hours.
"I personally don't know why you would want to live that close to the town centre," she told Nottinghamshire Live.
"It can get quite rowdy and loud after hours and I wouldn't want a house so close to everything.
"But I do think it's good that the building will be used for something, rather than leaving it empty.
"I suppose it's personal preference, I'd rather live in a quiet neighbourhood where I can relax at night."
However, others believe any form of redevelopment for disused buildings is a good move.
"The way town centres are going I wouldn't be surprised if more buildings turned into houses," says 41-year-old Simon Graham.
"You aren't going to turn it into shops because they're already struggling, so there's obviously more of a drive to get people closer to town.
"It would be quite handy for doing your shopping, you don't have to go far at all, and the bus terminus is only the other side of Idlewells too.
"It's better that disused buildings are given a purpose than left as eyesores."
Cassie Myers, 29, who was shopping in the town centre, described the housing plans as "surprising".
She added: "It's a good location for anything, but housing is quite surprising as it's right next to a car park and basically in the town centre."
A heritage impact statement was drawn up by developers due to the site's close location to a nearby conservation area.
Developers behind the scheme said: "The market place and surrounding shops are within the setting of the application site, and as such the character and style of existing buildings is expected to inform the design and detailing of the proposed development.
"The current condition of the application site is vacant and unkempt, and while it does not cause any serious detriment to the conservation area, it fails to add any value, and does not integrate with any surrounding built form.
"This site should be considered as a key site given its prominent location within the town centre, and therefore its redevelopment will be expected to make visual improvements to the important conservation area.
"The proposed demolition offers the opportunity to significantly upgrade and improve the street scene."
Once a consultation on the plans in launched, developers must outline the appearance, layout and access of the proposed town houses.
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