Plans have been approved for a new 10-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO) in central Oldham above a beds and home furnishings store.

Based on Yorkshire Street, a proposal to change the use of the first and second floor of the building into bedrooms, along with an extension, have been granted approval.

The three-storey red stone building in Oldham town centre is home to First4Beds and Home Furnishings, with the store operating on the ground and first floor, with a stock storeroom and staff facilities on the second floor.

However, this will now change, with the first and second floors to be converted so they hold five bedrooms each.

The plans, which were originally submitted in August, lay out how both the first and second floors will both have a communal kitchen area, while the first floor will have a garden terrace area.

Each bedroom will include a bathroom, storage space and a kitchenette, or small kitchen area.

While the ground floor will remain as a retail area, a cycle storage will be installed at the rear, next to the staircase up to the bedrooms.

One condition of the council's approval of the proposal is that use of the HMO will not be allowed to begin until the secure cycle parking has been installed, which was recommended by the Highways Engineer, who offered no objections to the plans when consulted.

As for the consultation of Environmental Health, they too offered no objections to the proposal so long as details of plans for the storage and removal of waste have been approved and the development is soundproofed.

The condition of soundproofing was recommended so that occupiers of the HMO would not be significantly disturbed by other occupiers and the noise from other businesses and traffic in the area.

The case officer recommended the planning authority to approve the proposal due to the fact it fell in line with the Oldham Local Plan.

The plans were signed for approval on behalf of the council on Friday, December 2.