A gravestone showroom business could be forced to tear down an extension to its site after retrospective planning action was rejected.

Everlasting Memorials, based on Manchester Road, Werneth, developed a two-storey extension at the rear of its shop which is currently in use as a funeral parlour associated with the headstone shop.

However, the extension could now be torn down after plans to retain it were turned down by the council's planning body on the grounds of an inadequate coal mining risk assessment being submitted.

The headstone showroom is based at the former home of the Smut Inn pub and is in an area of mixed use, with some residential and commercial properties in the surrounding area.

The planning officer who assessed the application determined that there were no problems with the extension, except for the fact that the coal mining risk assessment report that was submitted to the council which was deemed to be "unacceptable".

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times’ morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts 

Everlasting Memorials is in an area of historic unrecorded coal mining activities at shallow depths and is within a high risk area for developments as in areas of shallow coal workings, there is a potential risk to surface stability and public safety.

The applicant was requested to submit a coal mining risk assessment report, however the Coal Authority found the report was which was submitted was "unacceptable as it did not contain any evidence of an adequate assessment of the potential impact of the development on surface stability and public safety".

This means that despite the fact the extensions was found to be acceptable on all other grounds, it has been refused by the planning body.

The applicant can appeal the decision, but it is unknown what next steps will be taken.

Everlasting Memorials was approached for comment by The Oldham Times but did not receive a response.