THE company behind a controversial plan to turn a former Shaw pub into a hostel for "supported living" says it is "passionate about contributing positively" to the local community.

This follows a second planning application by Pendle company CarePoint HC to transform the old Weavers Answer pub on Milnrow Road into accommodation for nine people.

A prior application for an 18 bed conversion, which included housing for homeless people, was turned down by Oldham Council's planning officers in January.

Nearby residents objected to the plan then and a further six objections to the new application have been lodged on the council's online planning portal this week.

A spokesperson for CarePoint said: “We have listened to the feedback from members of the community and the planning department.

"Subsequently, our revised proposal reduces the scale of the building. Our proposed development will support individuals learn and attain independent living skills.

"We are passionate about contributing positively to the communities in which we operate. As such, we will work with community partners to identify appropriate opportunities which enable us to contribute to the local economy.

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"Additionally, as part of our commitment to employ and develop local residents, we will be establishing relationships with local schools, colleges, job centres with the aim of implementing effective apprenticeship, recruitment and work experience schemes.

"We look forward to working with and making a positive contribution to the local community.”

Meanwhile, the Shaw and Crompton Parish Council's planning committee which operates in an advisory capacity for Oldham Council on Tuesday night recommended refusal of the new application on the grounds of lack clarity relating to the Disability Discrimination Act and the possibility of a lack of compliance.

It also voiced concerns over whether there would be a support infrastructure in terms of police and health services.

In a further twist to the saga the deputy leader Oldham Council's opposition Liberal Democrat group Chris Gloster is facing a standards committee probe after a complaint from CarePoint over his activities regarding the initial planning application.

CarePoint says Cllr Gloster, 58, broke the councillors' code of conduct by supporting residents objections to the initial plan.

The Oldham Times understands that the complaint surrounds Cllr Gloster drawing the attention of nearby residents to the original planning application on the council's planning portal on January 6 and 7 before the consultation process had ended.

The source also says CarePoint also accused Cllr Gloster, a former police inspector in Oldham's traffic unit, had been untruthful in saying that work started on the site before the planning application had been submitted in January.

When asked about that specific allegation by The Oldham Times Cllr Gloster said that he could "quite clearly prove that I was in dialogue with Oldham Council planning enforcement as early as September, 2020".

He said: "I find it incredulous that they should challenge my truthfulness when clearly both the residents who contacted me in September are aware of the truth."

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CarePoint has not commented on the issue and neither has Oldham Council which has been approached Shaw born and bred Cllr Gloster was elected to the council for the first time in 2015 and carries the shadow finance and corporate resources portfolio Cllr Gloster went on: "I am not prepared to be silenced by any developer and who wants to prevent me from doing my job representing the people of Shaw.

"As far as I am concerned myself and members of the community raised legitimate misgivings about the planning application in January.

"It was part of a transparent planning system which has been part of the bedrock of local democracy for years."