Rochdale Borough Council has concluded a significant batch of planning decisions in the final run-up to Christmas, granting permission for a diverse range of projects across the borough. The decisions, made up to the week ending Friday, December 19, cover everything from domestic extensions to major commercial conversions and vital school upgrades.
Domestic Developments and Home Expansions
A substantial portion of the approved applications focus on residential improvements. Homeowners in Rochdale, Middleton, Milnrow, and Littleborough have received the go-ahead to extend and adapt their properties. Notable approvals include a two-storey rear extension at 141 Queensway in Rochdale and a first-floor side extension with a Juliette balcony at 14 Bittern Close.
Other successful household applications feature a loft conversion with multiple dormers at 163 Leander Drive and a scheme to subdivide a single dwelling into two separate homes at 15 and 17 Croydon Avenue. Several applications for single-storey extensions, like those at 10 Oulder Hill Drive and 48 Phyllis Street, were also granted, subject to standard planning conditions.
Commercial and Community Projects Approved
The council's decisions also pave the way for important commercial and community-focused developments. A key approval will see Hopwood Hall College's Rochdale Campus gain a new single-storey extension to provide an integrated SEND facility, alongside a new car park and boundary fencing.
In Middleton, a major change of use was granted for Platinum House on Sadler Street. The existing offices and storage space will be converted into 15 apartments with three ground-floor offices, involving a partial upward extension. Furthermore, Carpetright on Whitworth Road can now expand its retail offering after the council agreed to vary a previous condition restricting sales to DIY goods only.
Signage and shopfront revamps at Middleton Shopping Centre were also approved, while a prior approval application for a substantial 64.66 kWp solar panel array at St Edward's C of E Primary School was deemed not required, allowing the project to proceed.
Environmental Conditions and Tree Works
The planning committee demonstrated a continued focus on environmental considerations. Several decisions were specifically related to discharging planning conditions concerning Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), landscaping, and contamination. For instance, details submitted to comply with BNG conditions for permissions at Gainsborough Drive and land off Hanson Close were marked as 'Request Completed'.
Approved works to trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) were also sanctioned. These included crown lifting and reduction for a Hornbeam tree at Moss Lodge on Kings Road and similar work on Sycamore trees within the grounds of Greenacres Court on Braddocks Close.
Not every application was successful, however. A proposal for a front and rear dormer extension at 36 Arthur Street in Rochdale was refused by the council. Additionally, a planned rear extension and loft conversion at Riverside Nursing Home in Littleborough was withdrawn by the applicant prior to a decision being made.
This comprehensive set of rulings concludes a busy period for the council's planning department, setting the stage for numerous construction and improvement projects to begin across Rochdale in the new year.
