DELEGATED DECISION CHECKLIST AND REPORT

APPLICATION NO.	CASE OFFICER	DATE	
25/00349/FUL			Bob Melling			30 May 2025

Address:  602A and 604 Manchester Old Road, Middleton, M24 4PW	

Proposal:  Subdivision of existing first floor residential accommodation to provide 1 no. 1-bed flat on the first floor and 1 no. 2-bed flat on the first and second floors including the construction of a rear dormer.

PUBLICITY	Weekly list expired? 	Y	Site notice expired? 	Y	
	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 STC	

CHECKED AND SIGNED OFF BY:	TH		DATE: 25.06.2025

SITE

The application relates to a pair of commercial properties standing within the defined Rhodes Village Local Centre on the north side of Manchester Old Road.  One of the properties (no. 602a) is currently vacant on the ground floor, with the property at no. 604 last in use as a newsagent/off licence which appears to have now ceased trading.  The first floor level of the two properties comprises one residential unit.

The units lie within a block of seven properties which are flanked by a public house to each end with the Carters Arms at no. 610 to the west and the currently vacant Barbers Arms to the east. To the rear of the building lies a row of terraced dwellings across a strip of grassed amenity land and a vehicular access route.

PROPOSAL

Permission is sought for the subdivision of the existing first floor residential unit into two self-contained flats. A rear dormer would be erected above one of the properties (no. 602a) in order to provide additional living space. No other external alterations are proposed. 

RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY

National Guidance

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

Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan (PfE)

The Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan was adopted and became part of the statutory development plan for each of the 9 authorities covered by the plan on 21st March 2024. The following policies are relevant:

JP-H1		Scale, Distribution and Phasing of New Housing Development
JP-H4		Density of New Housing
JP-P1		Sustainable places

Adopted Rochdale Core Strategy (CS):

DM1		General development requirements	
SD1		Delivering sustainable development

SO1		Delivering a more prosperous economy
E1		Establishing thriving town, district and local centres

SO2		Creating successful and healthy communities
C1		Delivering the right amount of housing in the right places

SO3		Improving design, image and quality of place
P3		Improving design of new development

SO4		Promoting a greener environment
G9		Reducing the impact of pollution

SO5		Improving accessibility and delivering sustainable transport
T2		Improving accessibility
Appendix 5 	Schedule of Parking Standards

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
G/S/1	Hierarchy and Role of Centres – Saved. To be read in conjunction with Core Strategy Policy E1 until replaced by Site Allocations or other DPD.
S/6	District Centre, Local Centres and Linear Commercial Areas – Saved. To be read in conjunction with Core Strategy Policy E1 until replaced by Site Allocations or other DPD.

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD):
Guidelines and Standards for Residential Development (June 2016).

RELEVANT SITE HISTORY

19/00618/FUL	Change of use and amalgamation of ground floor units from retail (Class A1) to cafe/restaurant (Class A3) along with provision of 2 no. 3-bed flats on first and second floors including installation of new shopfronts, new roller shutter, erection of part two storey and part single storey rear extension, construction of 2 no. rear dormers and 4 no. rooflights to front - Resubmission of 18/01225/FUL. Granted STC August 2019

18/01225/FUL	Change of use and amalgamation of ground floor units from retail (A1) to restaurant (A3), erection of part two storey and part single storey rear extension, new shop fronts, construction of rear dormers as part of loft conversion and retention of 2 self-contained flats at first floor level. Withdrawn March 2019

14/01205/FUL	Conversion of first floors to two self-contained flats including formation of new door opening in front elevation of no. 602a to provide access to both flats. Granted STC November 2014

14/00897/FUL	Conversion of first floors to two self-contained flats and change of use of no. 602a from shop to a hot food take-away including formation of new door opening in front elevation of no.602a to provide access to both flats. Refused September 2014

83/D14835	Change of use of shop to hot food takeaway.  Withdrawn March 1983

CONSULTATION RESPONSES

Highways - No objections.

REPRESENTATIONS

Letters of notification were sent to surrounding properties and a site notice posted in the vicinity. No public representations have been received.
ANALYSIS

Principle of Development 

Permission is sought for the subdivision of the existing residential accommodation to create two self-contained flats. 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 on previously developed land. The site falls within the Defined Urban Area as set out under 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.

The proposals would result in a more efficient use of a previously developed site though the subdivision of an existing residential unit in a sustainable location. The development would result in a more appropriate density and would accord with the aims of both PfE and the Core Strategy.

Impact on Visual Amenity

CS policies P3 and DM1 require development proposals to be a high standard of 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 alteration would see the erection of a rear dormer to no. 602a. Although the proposed dormer would have a flat roof design, it would have an appropriate scale that would not dominate the rear roof slope. The dormer walls would be clad in tiles to match the exiting roof and the windows have been positioned so as to be largely aligned between floor levels.  Moreover, it should be noted that the addition of flat roof rear dormers was considered acceptable under application ref: 19/00618/FUL. 

Therefore, subject to the suggested condition in respect of materials, the application is considered to accord with the relevant parts of CS policies DM1 and P3, PfE, the SPD and the NPPF.  

Impact on Surrounding Occupiers

Paragraph 135 of the NPPF advises that planning decisions should result in places with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users. CS policy DM1 states that proposals need to demonstrate that they do not adversely affect the amenity of residents or users through visual intrusion, overbearing impact, overshadowing or loss of privacy. CS policy G9 seeks to prevent developments that would lead to an unacceptable increase in pollution, including from noise and odours.  

Due to the commercial nature of the surrounding area, occupants of the proposed residential properties would expect to be affected to some degree by the comings and goings of customers to the units within the local centre which lies on a busy main road. Given this context and the existing residential use at first floor level, it is not considered that the proposed units would experience unacceptable levels of noise disturbance. 

With a separation distance of 27m to the facing dwellings to the rear, there would be no undue overlooking or loss of privacy for those occupiers.  No outdoor amenity space would be provided for the occupiers of the residential dwellings but this is not uncommon for such accommodation types and is therefore acceptable.

The Nationally Described Space Standards (NDSS) is a technical standards document produced by the Government to ensure internal space within new dwellings is suitable.

Figure 1 - Excerpt from NDSS (2015)

‘Flat 1’ has two storeys and two bedrooms, and would therefore need a minimum gross internal floor space of 70sqm, including 2sqm of built-in storage Flat 1 has a gross internal floor space of 75sqm and could therefore accommodate three persons across two bedrooms. ‘Flat 2’ has a gross internal floor space of 48.6 sqm, allowing 1 person to occupy the bedroom. Both flats would provide sufficient storage space. It should be noted that the bedroom for flat 2 is approximately 20.8 sqm, which would meet the minimum floor area requirement (11.5 sqm) for two bed spaces. However, flat 2 would fall approximately 1.4m short of the overall minimum gross internal floor space requirement for a one bedroom dwelling with two bed spaces. Given that this transgression is only minor and that the flat would benefit from over double the required storage space, it is not considered that the floor space provided by flat 2 would be unduly harmful to the living conditions of any future occupants. 

Overall, the proposal would not unduly impact on the amenity of future occupants or neighbouring properties and would be acceptable in accordance with CS policies DM1 and G9, PfE, the SPD and the NPPF.

Highway and Parking:

CS policy T2 states that development will be appropriately located to minimise the need to travel by car and the number and length of car trips.  Paragraphs 115 and 116 of the NPPF require that safe and suitable access to a site can be achieved for all users and that development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts of the road network, following mitigation, would be severe.
 
The proposed subdivision would not amount to a significant intensification when compared to the existing usage.  The site is well served by unrestricted car parking provision and on a main bus route.  That the residential dwellings would not be provided with dedicated parking is not uncommon for such mixed use developments and the Council’s Highways Officer has raised no objections to the proposals.

The proposal is therefore considered to meet the requirements of CS policies DM1 and T2 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:- 		

-	Existing Plan. Dwg no. NA-P01. Rev A
-	Proposed Plan. Dwg no. NA-P02. Rev D
-	Elevation. Dwg no. NA-P03. C

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 materials used in the construction of the exterior of the development hereby permitted shall match those used in the construction of the exterior of the existing building in colour, form, type, size and texture. This includes a requirement for hung tiles to match the main roof for the proposed rear dormer extension.	

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.	Refuse and recycling bins shall at all times be stored in the rear yard area as indicated on drawing ref. NA-P02. Revision D.

Reason: In the interests of visual and residential amenity and in accordance with policies DM1, P3 and G9 of the adopted Rochdale Core Strategy 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