A former bank in Shaw has gone on the market with planning permission to transform the two-storey building into a bar and House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO).

The former bank which sits on Rochdale Road in Shaw is for sale from £250,000 and comes with planning permission to transform the ground floor into a bar and the second floor into a five-bed HMO.

The plans suggest the bar area would operate between the hours 7am until midnight, Monday to Sunday, while the upper floor will be residential for at least five inhabitants.

Upstairs, there will be five bedrooms compromised of four doubles and one single room with three rooms having their own ensuite.

There would be a separate shared shower room and toilet as well as a communal kitchen-dining area.

The new owner of the building will need to soundproof the lower floor to protect residents from noise and a secure cycling unit must be implemented before tenants can move in, the notice of approval states.

The planning application was approved on May 25, 2021, with no public objections made at the time.

However, since appearing on the property advertising website, Rightmove, some locals in Shaw have voiced their concerns on social media.

One person said: "Another HMO? Sad for Shaw."

While another wrote: "So bedsits with a bar/restaurant underneath. How much are the beds going to be sold at, are they going to be sold or rented? If so, who will rent or purchase them?"

Others, however, felt the bar was out of place for the area with one comment reading: “This isn’t South Manchester with a thriving café culture and vibrant nightlife.

"It’s not going to attract the sort of young professionals that those other areas attract.”

Yet others suggested the HMO could be a benefit for renters with one man saying he started out in flatshares before being able to afford a deposit for a house.

Another agreed: “I don’t see what the problem is. Most bedsits are rented. Not everyone can afford to rent an entire house or flat.

“People need to live somewhere. It’s better than the building being demolished.”

Oldham Council said the development plan "complies with the Local Development Framework which would improve and maintain economic, social and environmental conditions of the area".

The listing on Rightmove said the property is an "excellent investment opportunity"  in "an extremely sought after position" due to its proximity to local amenities and transport links.