PLANS have been approved to build a nursery at a school in Royton despite concerns from residents being raised.

A planning application was submitted to demolish a building on the grounds of Fir Bank Primary School on Grasmere Road and to replace it with an extension to be used as a day nursery with a play area.

Blueprints with the plans said the extension will “create a dedicated new nursery entrance” next to the existing play school entrance.

The planning statement also said Fir Bank School Playgroup registered in 1995 and until 2020 operated from a designated room within the school.

It provided early education for children aged three and four under a "full day care type provision".

But the playgroup ended due to the retirement of childcare staff and the school trust wants to continue its early years offer and set up nursery provision.

The statement added: "The demand for nursery places is such that in its first year of operation, 2021-2022, the nursery is fully subscribed.

"Considering ongoing demand for nursery places across the region it is anticipated that investment will be required to meet continued demand in the cohort of early years children within a school setting in resourced provision or now and in the future."

After the proposals were revealed, objections were aired from residents over the potential of noise nuisance, a loss of privacy to neighbours and concerns over drainage.

With Oldham Council being the applicant and land owner, the decision was referred to the planning committee earlier this month.

The local authority said that a noise assessment was carried out and considered by Oldham’s environmental health team, who raised no objections as long as conditions were imposed including restricting the hours of the operation of the nursery.

Water supplier United Utilities also decided not to object on the grounds of drainage as long as more information was provided.

It was also decided by the council’s planning officers that the development, which is already close to the neighbouring homes, would not impact on the privacy on the properties.

The local authority pointed out that the nursery is set to be at the far end of the land attached to the homes and the extension would integrate well with the main building.

The plans were given the green light by the committee.