Updated plans for controversial houses next to pub granted

The original application for the land next to The Grapes pub was approved earlier this year at a meeting of Oldham Council's planning committee despite more than a dozen objections. 

The original location plans stated that a number of trees on the site would be removed and did not indicate plans to replant the removed trees. 

Original plans did not include re-planted trees (Left) but new ones include them (Right) (Image: PLC Architects)

The new plans now outline the replanting of trees along with slight changes to the size of gardens on the homes after a condition of the application was given. 

The original plans were granted with conditions back in February, and stated that the trees must be replanted and that developers must seek permission for how they would do this, as the new plans are.

The homes will be accessed through the existing entrance to the land off Medlock Way in Lees.

Plans requesting permission for the homes were originally submitted in August 2023 and the new plans were submitted last month.

They were approved on Monday (August 19), with a number of conditions the developers must still abide by.

Before the plans were passed there were thirteen objection comments submitted to the council with all of the comments stating parking and traffic issues as their main qualm with the development. 

One comment, submitted in February, said: "This area is already heavily congested with traffic due to the two neighbouring schools.

"The access to the properties would cause more traffic problems on an already very busy and dangerous junction - Medlock Way and Beckett Street.

The existing car park at The Grapes which objectors claim is used by parents at local schools for drop offs, with the landlord's permission (Image: Google)

"The Grapes pub is already busy at peak times and weekends and losing the car parking spaces will only add to the parking problems residents already experience.

"The local councillors and schools have worked tirelessly to try and get traffic calming measures in place - this application has a total disregard to the hard work which has been done."

The objection also went on to quote the impact any construction traffic will cause on the surrounding area.

A number of conditions have been placed on the granting of the development, which directly address concerns around parking in the objections. 

Parking is included in one of the nine conditions subjected onto the plans, stating that none of the dwellings shall be occupied before the vehicle access and parking spaces have been completed. 

the current street scene (top) compared to the proposed street scene with the addition of three homes (bottom) (Image: PLC Architects)

Construction of the access and parking cannot begin until details of construction, levels and drainage are submitted to Oldham Council and have been approved. 

Conditions also include more details must be submitted and approved regarding the wider construction, drainage, sewerage and landscaping plans, the protection of nearby trees and that materials used in the buildings must be approved by the council based on colour, size and texture.

Developers must also wait to begin work until after a landfill gas risk assessment is carried out as the site is located within 250 metres of a former landfill site. 

The accepted location plan (left) compared to the existing location plan (right) (Image: PLC Architects)

The homes will be built on part of an existing car park at The Grape, which contains 32 spaces, 17 of the current spaces will be retained and each home will have two parking spaces each.

As part of the application, a transport and traffic assessment was carried out by Transport Planning Associates which found there would be no material impacts on the existing transport network or local on-street parking stress.

It also stated that the level of traffic generated by the homes would fall 'well below what is expected of a public house'.

The floor plans of the upper and lower levels of the homes to be built (Image: PLC Architects)

The homes themselves will be two storeys high and contain three bedrooms on the upper level as well as a bathroom and a landing area. 

Lower levels of the homes will include a kitchen, a storage cupboard, a wash closet and an open-plan living and dining area. 

Building for the homes must have been started within the next three years and work on external walls can not begin until the materials have been approved.