Weekly planning round up: Former church could become flats

Church could become flats

Plans have been lodged to convert a vacant Oldham church and an attached building into 10 flats.

The proposal focuses on the former Northmoor Methodist Church based on Kirkbank Street, Oldham, which has been empty for more than 10 years.

The former Northmoor Methodist Church on Kirkbank Street (Image: Google Maps)

The 10 flats would be developed in both the church and an attached building, which would be extended to become two storeys.

The units would be a mix of four traditional apartments and six studio flats.

HMO refused due to 'inadequate' facilities

A proposal to turn a three-storey office block in Oldham town centre into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) has been rejected.

In March, plans were submitted to convert a vacant block of offices on Retiro Street into a four-bed HMO.

However, now the plans have been rejected due to the kitchen and bedrooms being too small.

The property on Retiro Street (Image: Google Maps)

The proposed HMO, which would have no living room, did not meet the minimum threshold for the size of the kitchen and the bedrooms were deemed to be too small.

As a result of the "substandard bedroom sizes, inadequate kitchen facilities and the failure to provide communal living accommodation", the application was refused.

Royton home can become HMO

One successful HMO application is on Oldham Road in Royton, where a mid-terraced property can be converted into a shared accommodation.

This is after a proposal to change the use of a house into a HMO was deemed acceptable, meaning formal planning permission from Oldham Council was not required.

The property on Oldham Road (Image: Google Maps)

The property will be a five-bedroom HMO, with each bedroom having an en-suite bathroom.

There will be a shared kitchen on the ground floor, although there will not be a shared living space for residents.