Permission has been granted to create a snooker lounge in the former Oldham Evening Chronicle building in the town centre.

Back in February, a planning application was submitted to the council looking for permission to develop the snooker lounge on the upper ground floor and part of the first floor.

The building is currently unused after it was bought for £400,000 in 2018.

In 2021, plans were submitted to transform the building into a block of 40 flats with space for bars, restaurants and a gym, with the proposal including plans for three new floors.

These plans were withdrawn, but now permission has been granted for the building to be brought back into use.

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The snooker lounge would be allowed to operate between the hours of 12pm and 2am, seven days a week.

The current use of the building is listed as 'offices' and in an application report prepared by planning officer for Oldham Council Matthew Taylor, the proposed use was deemed to be "within the same use class as the existing use".

It means that formal planning permission is not required and the plans can go ahead.