APPLICATION NUMBER:  25/00393/FUL

DELEGATED DECISION CHECKLIST AND REPORT

APPLICATION NO.	CASE OFFICER	DATE	
25/00393/FUL	            Bob Melling	15 October 2025	

Address:  252 Yorkshire Street, Rochdale, OL16 2DP

Proposal:  Proposed change of use from storage space at first floor and second floor into two-self-contained flats, alongside the creation of 4 new window openings.

PUBLICITY	Weekly list expired? 	Y	Site notice expired? 	N/A	
	Neighbour letters expired?	Y	Press Notice expired?	N/A	

DELEGATION	Significant departure from local plan? 	N	Contrary to national policy?	N	
	Applicant a Council Member or officer?	N	Contrary to previous decision?	N	
	Major with 10 or more objections and recommending approval?	N	Called in or Planning Panel objection?	N	

COMMENTS	Planning Panel comments received?	N
	
	Neighbour comments received?	N	

EIA	Screening opinion completed and saved to Onbase?	N/A

CONDITIONS	Pre-commencement conditions proposed?	N
	
	Pre-commencement conditions agreed (or notification period expired)?	N/A	

RECOMMENDATION	Grant Subject to Conditions	

CHECKED AND SIGNED OFF BY:	RK		DATE:  20/10/2025

SITE

The application relates to no. 252 Yorkshire Street, a three-storey, end-terrace property located to the northeast of Rochdale town centre within the Yorkshire Street local centre as defined under the saved Rochdale Unitary Development Plan (UDP) policy S/6. The property faces northwest towards Yorkshire Street and adjoins no. 250 Yorkshire Street to the southwest. No. 254 Yorkshire Street stands across East Street to the northeast and comprises a retail unit at ground floor level with two self-contained flats above (see planning application reference 21/01530/FUL). There is a large area of hardstanding to the rear of the application site, which can be accessed via both East Street and Buckley Street. The application property contains a barbershop at ground floor level with ancillary storage space above. 

PROPOSAL

Permission is sought for the change of use of the upper floors of the application property to create two self-contained, one-bedroom flats. The flats would be accessed to the side via an existing entrance following the removal of the existing roller shutters. The existing windows would be replaced, and four new windows would be installed (two on the side elevation and two on the rear elevation). The bins for the proposed flats would be stored within the existing attached garage to the rear. No off-street parking is proposed. 

RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY

National

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 
National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG)

Sub-Regional

Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan (PfE)

JP-S1		Sustainable Development
JP-P1		Sustainable Places
JP-H3		Type, Size and Design of New Housing

Local 

Adopted Rochdale Core Strategy (CS):

DM1 		General development requirements 
C1		Delivering the right amount of housing in the right places
C6		Improving health and well being
G9		Reducing the impact of pollution
P1  		Improving image 
P3  		Improving design of new development 
T2 		Improving accessibility

Rochdale Unitary Development Plan (UDP): 

A number of policies contained within the Unitary Development Plan have been saved following the adoption of the Core Strategy. The following saved policies are relevant: 

G/D/1 		Defined Urban Area
S/6		District Centre, Local Centres And Linear Commercial Areas

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD):
Supplementary Planning Guidance note ‘Guidelines and Standards for Residential Development’ (2016).

RELEVANT SITE HISTORY

83/D15300 - Conversion Of Living Accommodation Above Shop Units Into 4 Self Contained Flats And 1 Maisonette. Approved July 1983			

81/D12746 - Conversion Of Second Floor Of Premises To Flat. Approved August 1981

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Highways And Engineering  

No comments received at time of writing.

Environmental Health

No comments received at time of writing. 

REPRESENTATIONS

Letters of notification were sent to all surrounding properties and no responses were received.

ANALYSIS

Principle of Development

Permission is sought for the change of use of the first and second floors into two self-contained flats. Places for Everyone (PfE) establishes the need for at least 616 net additional dwellings per year in Rochdale to meet the housing needs of the borough. CS policy C1 aims to maximise the potential of previously developed sites within the urban area to achieve a target of 80% of new housing of previously developed land. 

The site falls within the ‘defined urban area’ as set out in saved UDP policy G/D/1. Furthermore, PfE policy JP-H4 states that new housing should be delivered at a density appropriate to the location, reflecting the relative accessibility of the site by walking, cycling and public transport and the need to achieve efficient use of land and high-quality design. Therefore, where possible concentrating a higher density of housing in established centres.

The principle for development relating to this application is therefore established by contributing towards additional housing supply, and in supporting development within the defined urban area and a local centre. 

Impact on Character, Appearance and Heritage Assets

When read collectively, the NPPF, CS policies DM1 and P3 and PfE policy JP-P1 require development proposals to adhere to high quality design and enhance the borough’s identity and sense of place, by respecting context where it is positive and having regard to the scale, density, massing, height, layout, landscape, materials and access of surrounding buildings and areas in general.

The only external physical works involve the installation of several uPVC windows on the side and rear elevations and the removal of existing roller shutters. The proposed windows would match the existing windows and, as such, the proposed windows would be in-keeping with the surrounding context and would not harm the appearance of the building. 

Overall, the proposed development would have a neutral impact on design and therefore accords with CS policies DM1 and P3, PfE policy JP-P1 and the NPPF.

Amenity

CS policy DM1 requires that proposals do not adversely affect the amenity of residents or users through visual intrusion, overbearing impact, overshadowing or loss of privacy. Also, impacts including noise, air, dust, light and odour pollution are required to be mitigated where necessary.

The ‘Guidelines and Standards for Residential Development’ SPD contains a number of guidance parameters for the design and layout of new housing in order to preserve the amenity standards for surrounding residents.

Minimum Space Standards

Section 4.1 of the SPD sets out minimum space standards which all new residential developments should adhere to in order to ensure a satisfactory standard of amenity for surrounding residents. In particular, the SPD sets a minimum space standard of 21m between directly facing habitable room windows at an upper floor level.

The proposed flats would include windows to the side elevation that would measure approximately 13m to the windows serving the first and second floor flats at no. 254 Yorkshire Street. The flats would therefore fall short of the 21m standard. 

Notwithstanding, the SPD allows exceptions to minimum space standards where development would not detract from the general levels of privacy and amenity in the area. It is noted that is an established pattern of reduced separation distances between residential flats along Yorkshire Street and, on this basis, the proposed development would not detract from the general levels of privacy and amenity typical in the area.

Moreover, it is noted that two of the three windows on the side elevation serving the proposed flats would not be the principal windows of habitable rooms. One window would serve a kitchen while the other would be the secondary window to a bedroom. While a third window would be considered the principal window to the main living area of flat 1, it is noted that this window would be offset from the main first floor window to the side of no. 254 Yorkshire Street. This would further reduce the perception of being overlooked. 

            Noise

The application site is located on a busy thoroughfare within a local centre. Therefore, it is considered that any future occupiers of the flats would expect to experience the hustle and bustle synonymous with living in a local centre. As such, it is not expected that the proposal would result in unacceptable living conditions for future occupiers in respect of the internal acoustic environment. 

Notwithstanding, a Noise Impact Assessment (NIA) has been submitted and contains several noise mitigation measures which can be secured through a planning condition.  

Occupier Amenity

PfE policy JP-H3 requires all new dwellings to comply with the Nationally Described Space Standards (NDSS). The NDSS is a technical standards document produced to ensure internal space within new dwellings is suitable for application across all tenures. Table 1 sets out the minimum gross internal floor area requirements for dwellings, and indicates that a one-bedroom, one-storey dwelling with two bed spaces requires 50m2 of internal floor space.

The submitted floor plans indicate a gross internal area of 55m2 for flat 1 and 64m2 for flat 2, which would comply with the NDSS. It should be noted that the number of bed spaces has been based on the floor areas of the bedrooms, with the NDSS setting out that a bedroom must be at least 11.5m2 to provide two bed spaces. 

All habitable rooms are considered to receive adequate natural light. While the flats do not benefit from a dedicated private garden, it is not considered necessary to make the development acceptable as the flats would not constitute family dwellings. It is recognised that the amenities in and around Rochdale town centre would enable a similar function for future occupiers.

In light of the above, it is considered that sufficient standards of amenity would be provided for residents of the development itself, and that the proposal would have no adverse impact on the amenity of residents of nearby properties. The proposal therefore accords with the relevant requirements of CS policy DM1, PfE, the SPD and the NPPF. 

Highways

CS policy T2 sets out that development and infrastructure proposals are required to satisfy the Council’s accessibility hierarchy and, in all circumstances, the safety, accessibility and amenity of those who live or have business in the area will have priority, while providing reliable journey times for those travelling through. Developments are required to provide parking in compliance with the Council’s Maximum Car Parking Standards as set out in Appendix 5 of the Core Strategy.

It is acknowledged that car ownership amongst the scheme is likely to be negligible and the provision of off-street parking is not considered necessary to ensure the viability of the proposal given the highly sustainable location within the Yorkshire Street local centre. 

Overall, the proposal is considered to be acceptable and in accordance with CS policies T2 and DM1, the SPD and the NPPF.

RECOMMENDATION

GRANT subject to the following conditions:

1.	The development must be begun not later than three years beginning with the date of this permission.	

Reason: Required to be imposed by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). 	

2.	This permission relates to the following plans:- 

•	Location Plan
•	Existing Floor Plans and Elevations. Dwg no. 2186/1. Received on 15/10/2025 
•	Proposed Floor and Site Plans. Dwg no. 2186/2. Received on 15/10/2025 
•	Proposed Elevations and Existing Site Plan. Dwg no. 2186/3. Received on 15/10/2025

and the development shall be carried out in accordance with these drawings hereby approved unless otherwise required by the conditions below.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure a satisfactory standard of development in accordance with the policies contained within the adopted Rochdale Core Strategy, the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan, the saved Rochdale Unitary Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

3.	The window frames used in the construction of the exterior of the development hereby permitted shall match the window frames used in the construction of the exterior of the existing building in colour, form, type, size and texture. 

Reason: In the interests of ensuring a satisfactory visual appearance to the development and in accordance with Policies P3 and DM1 of the adopted Rochdale Core Strategy, Policy JP-P1 of the adopted Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan, and the National Planning Policy Framework. 

4.	The development hereby approved shall be constructed in accordance with the noise mitigation measures set out within the submitted ‘Acoustic Survey and Assessment’ prepared by Martin Environmental Solutions Ltd (Report No: 3006-1). No part of the development shall be occupied until such time as a verification report has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority to confirm that the approved acoustic measures have been implemented to achieve the required maximum noise levels. The noise attenuation measures shall be retained as installed thereafter. 

Reason: To safeguard the amenities of residents in order to comply with the requirements of Policies G9 and DM1 of the adopted Rochdale Core Strategy, Policy JP-P1 of the adopted Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. 

Procedure Statement 

The Local Planning Authority worked proactively with the applicant to identify various solutions during the application process to ensure that the proposal comprised sustainable development and would improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area and would accord with the development plan. These were incorporated into the scheme and/or have been secured by planning condition.

Report Author Bob Melling