A WIRRAL charity has submitted plans to turn former business premises in Hoylake into blocks of flats for special-needs young people and the elderly.

Wirral Methodist Housing Association wants to turn the vacant Heap & Partners offices, known as Britannia House, at the bottom of Newton Road into three apartment blocks.

Its plans for the site include a three-storey block of flats for young people with mild special needs. The block will contain 11, two bedroom flats with a further flat used for a residents' meeting area.

The association says the flats will be occupied by people who have been to residential college and are returning home to live independently but near their families.

Another block will feature two wheelchair accessible bungalows designed for people with a physical disability.

The final block will be two-storey flats split into eight, two bedroom units for the elderly.

Householders in nearby streets have been informed of the plan and invited to comment.

The association's chief executive Alun Hughes said: "It was one of the few sites available in Hoylake and we felt it was ideal for what we want to do.

"Given that this is at the end of a residential street, we felt it was important to get the views of local people.

"We've put quite a lot of emphasis on the character of the building and are keen to ensure that it does not detract from surrounding buildings."

The charity submitted its application to Wirral Council on May 3.

It has also applied for funding from the Government through the Homes and Communities Agency and a decision on this is expected in August.

If funding and planning permission is given for the project, construction could be underway by December with a completion date of summer 2013.

Heap & Partners moved from Hoylake two years ago to a new site in Corporation Road, Birkenhead.