Councillors have been told plans to bulldoze a Leamington Spa nightclub to make way for more student accommodation should be blocked.

Ni Ann Ltd has submitted an application to demolish Smack - which remains open for business - and replace it with a five-storey building with "purpose-built" apartments.

The developer claims replacing the Tavistock Street club with 48 bedrooms would be better for the area.

But following multiple objections - including from Leamington Spa Town Council - a Warwick District Council report says the application should be refused.

Designs for the proposed block of flats (image via planning application)

"The overall scale, mass and bulk of the new development is considered to amount to overdevelopment of the site leading to visual harm to the character of the area, though it is noted that there are individual design elements, use of materials etc, which are not in themselves considered objectionable," the report said.

"Harm would be caused to the residential amenity of both existing residents of nearby buildings and future occupiers of the new development, by reason of substandard distance separation together with a lack of suitable mitigation measures in place to address concerns of noise and odour nuisance from the restaurant directly behind the application site."

Councillors will vote on the application on Tuesday 5 November.

Plans show the accommodation would replace the 600-capacity club with ten apartments which will range in size from three bedrooms to six.

All 48 bedrooms will be ensuite.

"The design of the building has been influenced by the character of the existing building to provide a memory of the building to be demolished alongside historical recording," the application said. 

"The resulting design is a high quality masonry building that will conserve and enhance the character of Tavistock Street, which has its unique character in the conservation area by virtue of being dominated by a large multi-storey car park and enclosed pedestrian bridge over the road."

The application also claims the nightclub's building is "at the end of its life" and cites a number of structural and cosmetic issues.

It also states the building is a former coach house built in the 19th century, before being turned into a nightclub in the 1990's when it was "substantially altered". 

The architect involved in this application - BPN Architects - was also involved in the application to demolish Rio's nightclub on Bedford Street to make way for student flats.

See the full application here.