A Grade II*-listed office building vacant for more than seven years in the heart of the Colmore Business District is set to be converted into student accommodation.

New plans have been lodged to transform the 111-year-old complex at 89-91 Cornwall Street into 26 studio apartments.

The four-storey property was bought by applicant Baljit Bhandal in 2008 while empty and has since been marketed for leasing without success, according to submitted documents.

It was previously home to accountancy firm Wenham Major but this was part of a group which fell into administration in 2008.

The plot is now set to be given a new lease of life as studios with shared communal kitchens and other facilities in a project designed by Shropshire-based architectural practice Arrol & Snell.

The application site counts office buildings and the Birmingham and Midland Institute among its immediate neighbours.

It also sits very close to the University College Birmingham campus around Newhall Street and Summer Row and is around 20 minutes' walk from the Aston University and Birmingham City University in the eastern part of the city centre.

The property dates back to 1904 and was designed by Charles Edward Bateman who was known for his arts and crafts-style houses.

He was behind The Homestead, a Grade I-listed house in Edgbaston, the Red Lion in Kings Heath and St Peter's vicarage in Maney Hill Road, Sutton Coldfield - both Grade II listed.

A report prepared by Edgbaston-based property consultancy Harris Lamb said: "The building has been vacant for a number of years.

"In order to prevent it from deteriorating, a new use for the building needs to be identified.

"A number of alternative uses have been considered in order to establish the optimal viable use...consideration was given to the prevailing market conditions and which use would best secure the long-term use of the building.

"It has been concluded that student accommodation would represent the optimal viable use. It is evident that, while Birmingham offers a large amount of student accommodation, it has an even larger student population.

"Modern day students have high expectations for the level of student accommodation on offer and the proposed development would assist in meeting this demand while bringing something different to the market from the standard offer.

"It will also assist in replenishing the old stock which has become obsolete."