A landmark Victorian school complex which has sat empty for more than a decade may now be transformed into 26 affordable homes and flexible workspaces.

Plans have been unveiled to redevelop the former Hatherley Road Day Centre site in Gloucester.

The distinctive Queen Anne red brick building opened in 1901 as Hatherley Road Schools and saw thousands of Gloucestershire boys and girls pass through its gates over the decades.

The boys' school relocated to Estcourt Close in 1967 and the girls' school closed in 1981 and the site was converted into a day centre for physically handicapped people.

Since that shut in 2010 the buildings have fallen into a state of dereliction and several attempts to bring them back into use have failed.

The one acre site sits between Vicarage Road and Hatherley Road in a residential area of Tredworth.

Hatherley Infant School, which was part of the original complex now sits on an independent site and remains in use.

Plans to raze the rest of the site and build 14 homes were touted in 2012 by the then owners Gloucestershire County Council but never materialised.

At the time the city council said it would not support a full demolition and the Civic Society tried and failed to have the site nationally listed.

The NHS then bought the property but its plans to turn it into a health hub also fizzled out when it found an alternative site. It still owns the site which has sat fenced off under surveillance for years.

Gloucester City Homes and Lane Britton Jenkins have now brought forward plans to Gloucester City Council to bring the site back into use.

It wants to retain and refurbish most of the main building with the main hall turned into community workspaces and the rest converted into nine affordable homes.

It would knock down the modern extensions which were added throughout the 20th Century and "significantly detracted from the architectural quality of the original structure". This land would be developed into five new detached buildings, accommodating 17 affordable homes.

The site would have 29 parking spaces

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A statement by Gloucester firm SF Planning Limited on behalf of the applicant said: "The proposals present an excellent opportunity to bring a deteriorating non designated heritage asset back into use and to enhance the amenity and character of the area, whilst providing additional affordable housing in a sustainable location.The benefits of the scheme outweigh any low heritage impacts.

"The site is ideal for residential development since it is within the main urban area and within easy reach of the city centre by foot or public transport allowing easy access to services, facilities, and regional and national public transport links. It will contribute to the council's supply of housing and housing delivery targets. It further has a social and economic benefit of delivering additional social rented housing in the city."

Gloucester City Council has a determination deadline of July 26 for the application(24/00288/FUL).