UPDATE: |Developer believes ‘no car parking required’ for 20-flat showroom conversion News

The vacant building is the subject of a new ‘change of use’ application

A former glass and furniture showroom just 50 metres from a Metrolink stop could be converted into a 20 flats.

The two-storey, end terrace commercial property on Church Street West, Radcliffe, is the subject on plans submitted to Bury Council in the past week.

The 516 square foot ‘L’ shaped building is currently vacant but was used previously as a showroom and workshop.

The applicant, Bury-based Wise Living Ltd has applied for a change of use of the building from commercial to residential in order to create 20 flats.

Last year, the same building was the subject of a planning application to convert the premises into a 28-bedroom shared house. Those proposals were rejected by planners last April after dozens of neighbours objected.

Among the reasons the council gave for refusal were that the scale of the development would ‘seriously detrimental to the residential amenities of nearby occupiers’.

Attached to the current planning application is a Lancashire County Council residential development accessibility score which is being offered in support of the proposals.

The survey ranks the location of the planned development on categories such as distance from public transport, shops and other amenities. That survey is being used by the applicant to support the car parking provision at the site.

The application, states: “We have completed a LCC accessibility audit and the site achieves a score of 35 which puts it into the highest category. “We therefore do not believe any parking is required for this development.

“However, there is space to accommodate some car parking in the rear yard area and there is permit holders on street parking on the road in front of the building if any residents do have a car.

“There is space in the rear yard to accommodate secure cycle storage which will be provided.”

The proposed building would have two entrances at the front accessed from the public footpath and rear doors would open into the yard area which is accessed off Glenvale Close.

Planners at Bury Council will consider the plans in the coming weeks.