Plans for 15-bed HMO slammed by Oldham residents

Locals who live on Bar Gap Road and the surrounding area are fighting back against a scheme, submitted last month to transform the building into a HMO, with eight objections filed to the council at the time of writing.

This includes from David Oakes in his role as vice chair of governors at Holy Cross Primary School, who wrote: "This property on 36 Bar Gap Road is in very close proximity to two schools, Holy Cross Primary School only 50 yards away and the Bluecoat School some 150 yards away and so my first concern is to the safeguarding of school children around this area."

Melissa Wands, who has lived on the road for 19 years with her parents and brother, also has concerns about what the arrival of a 15-bed HMO might bring to the street.

She said Bar Gap Road is currently a quiet, family-friendly area where children play outside.

However, she fears there will be "chaos" from the construction work and disruption to the tranquillity of the area should 15 or more people move in, not to mention a "loss of privacy" for those who live opposite and a potential spike of crime, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.

Ms Wands pointed out there is already a four-bed HMO on the street and the addition of yet another HMO, she argued, could devalue properties.

The notice on the lamppost outside the building.

She added many residents had only found out about the plans through word of mouth.

The applicant, A & S Properties Ltd, is said to have experience in operating HMOs in Greater Manchester and has refuted the claim that the development could devalue properties.

A spokesperson said: "We feel the opposite as we will be investing upwards of £300,000 on the building and therefore it will only help to improve the value and street scene of Bar Gap Road."

The company also said it has been "sensitive" in its approach to the construction.

But Isobel Pakeman and her partner, Daniel Whittaker, who live just four doors down from the proposed HMO, share similar concerns and said they did not receive any notice.

Ms Pakeman said: "We didn't get any letter. We found out about it reading an article in The Oldham Times - we wouldn't know about it otherwise."

Ms Pakeman said she is also worried about the added pressure a 15-bed property could bring to the street with particular concern for access for emergency services and parking - not to mention the inhabitants themselves.

She added: "When you're looking at a property like this, they're packing people in like sardines - all to make massive profits.

"I'm really against it, morally, I think it's awful."

But for the young couple, their biggest concern is the potential degradation of a historical building.

Ms Pakeman said: "They're planning to just literally strip off every historic feature from the outside.

The building at 36 Bar Gap Road.

She said the new design - which includes bars on the windows - is "both unsympathetic and aggressive".

She added: "It's really upsetting. Genuinely, sincerely, because it's unnecessary. It's an unnecessary destruction of a local landmark, for profit."

A & S Properties Ltd said it has converted similar buildings that have been "very tired and neglected for years" and that it has "injected a vast amount of money to restoring them and improving them as local landmarks".

The developer also said it would ensure inhabitants rely on public transport and so traffic shouldn't be an issue.

The spokesperson added: "We could consider meeting any of the residents to try and put any rumours or fears aside.

"We monitor all of our HMOs for any anti-social behaviour and we react very quickly if this is even the case.

"Our properties are run and managed very rigorously."

The council has been approached for comment.