A pub in Oldham has been given the green light to transform into an 11-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO).

The Royal Oak pub on Manchester Road, not to be confused with The Royal Oak on Union Street which has also closed, has stood vacant for more than nine months after it proved to be an "unviable business".

The spot was believed to be Werneth's "last pub" and despite patrons calling to spare the pub after the landlord left in summer last year, the shutters closed for the final time in March.

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In an application submitted in August, SS Property Group Ltd outlined plans to transform the building into a HMO for 11 people.

The proposal outlined splitting the two-storey building into 11 bedrooms with shared kitchen and dining facilities while each bedroom would have a private bathroom.

The ground floor would contain the first five bedrooms and a shared kitchen/dining room while the first floor would be made up of another five bedrooms and an office.

It was proposed the second floor would contain the 11th bedroom and a shared lounge/kitchen area.

SS Property Group Ltd claimed the HMO would have a "high standard of design" in terms of its living space and accommodation, with soundproofing, natural light and ventilation.

It also said there is a "pleasant" private rear garden outside which would provide a community space to socialise and access to communal bike storage for up to 15 bikes, while laundry facilities would be available in the basement.

The proximity of shops, offices, employment units, mosques, leisure facilities, Werneth Park and good transport links were also cited as a bonus for the plans as the applicant said there is less pressure for occupiers to own a car.

However, the plans did reveal there is a public car park on Norfolk Street for 12 cars and some on-street parking available should the occupiers need it.

At least three neighbours disagreed and posted their objections to the plans to Oldham Council.

One neighbour said the HMO could cause "problems" with fly-tipping and parking, claiming the car park next to the pub is "always full" and that an influx of 11 more residents could make the problem worse.

Another stated the building has been operating as a pub since 1824 and its loss presents a "serious loss as a community asset".

The objector said The Royal Oak is listed in the north west England inventory of historic pub interiors and described the venue as "individual and unique" and a "heritage pub as defined by the Campaign for Real Ale".

The neighbour said the pub has a multitude of rooms, complete with bell pushes and "other features of historic and social importance", and that the HMO "conflicts" with the view that assets of community value "should be retained".

They added: "The retention of traditional pub heritage, the last in the Werneth area, is an asset for Oldham and offers a great business opportunity for the right operator to utilise its heritage".

A third objector agreed, writing that the pub "only recently closed" and claimed there were little attempts to replace the landlord or sell the property as a pub, meaning it could still be commercially and financially viable as a public house in the right hands.

But a planning officer subsequently visited the site and agreed that the plan would bring this "under-utilised land and building into active use to provide additional housing".

The officer said the HMO would support an increase in housing supply in a sustainable location with occupiers enjoying shopping parades and bus routes to Oldham, Failsworth and Manchester city centre.

While the officer did recognise that the plan would "lead to the loss of a community facility", the representative said its records as a pub show it was "not sustainable economically" and that its loss would not lead to any significant adverse impact on the local community.

As for the character and appearance of the street, the officer found that the plans include "very minimal external alterations".

As a result, Oldham Council approved the plans on Friday, December 1.

If you have a story, I cover all things Oldham from food reviews and local business news to music and events, pubs, education, crime, property, health, community concerns and much more. Please email me at Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk or send me a message on Twitter @Livbridge with your news.