A FORMER social club in Carlisle is to be turned into 12 apartments.

The old Ukrainian Club at the corner of Silloth Street and Wigton Road has stood empty for more than two years.

The building, which suffered a bad fire last year, was formally home to the Ukranian Association and was used as a centre for the city's Ukrainian community to meet, dance and hold events.

Twelve one bedroom apartments will be built on the site which was formerly a church.

A planning application, which was approved by Carlisle City Council, said: "Work to transform the building will consist mainly of internal alterations. Externally, the flat roof elements of this building will be rendered and new style windows will be installed. We propose two flat roof dormers to the church roof which will face onto the car park."

There will be four parking spaces available for the 12 apartments.

Carigiet Cowen were the agents for the sale of the property.

Ben Blain, surveyor with Carigiet Cowen, said: "The Ukranian Club has now sold. The club is going to be redeveloped for residential uses."

The club opened in the 1960s to cater for the Ukrainian population in Carlisle, many of whom had stayed after the war or come to Britain to find work.

It became a city institution that saw thousands of people pass through its doors since it opened at the height of the swinging sixties.

But a decision was made by the building's owners, based in London, to close it in 2016.

Prior to its sale it became a target for vandals.

It suffered a bad fire in July 2016.

An aerial appliance had to be used to help douse the flames breaking through the roof.

Roads had to be shut off as fire crews from Wigton, Longtown, Penrith and Carlisle tackled the blaze.