The recent planning applications submitted in Greater Manchester- including potentially a towns first school

Plans for scores of new homes across Greater Manchester have been submitted in recent weeks. A large proportion of the region’s applications are for Manchester, with 453 new flats proposed in total.

A ‘100 per cent’ affordable housing scheme in Northenden; a huge tower block of student accommodation in Ardwick; and a 25-storey tower in Cheetham Hill are also in the pipe-line. 

In Trafford and Bolton transformations of a Jehovah’s Witness building and golf course into housing developments have been tabled. Here’s a snapshot of the region’s most recent applications…

Diggers move in to clear former golf course as work to build controversial 177-home housing estate begins

A developer has started work to build 177 new homes at the former Horwich Golf Club. Contractors and digging vehicles have now moved in at the site, off Victoria Road, which will eventually contain up to 276 homes.

A new road access to the estate is expected to be ready before Christmas. The scheme was the subject of a lengthy planning battle over several years.

HMO plan for storage area of town centre property

Plans have been submitted to transform a storage area of a Farnworth building into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO).

The plans refer to a building on Higher Market Street in Farnworth. If approved it would be turned into a four bedroom HMO.

A Greater Manchester town could finally be about to get its own high school

After 10 years without a high school, youngsters in Radcliffe are set to be educated in the town with plans for a new academy likely to be approved this week.

Members of Bury Council’s planning committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss plans to demolish the town’s current leisure centre and a pupil referral unit to make way for a Star Academy high school. The planning application proposes to build a two storey temporary school building, which will house the first intake of 150 pupils from September 2024.

Plans to divide up large home with four ‘wings’ into individual homes

A large house in Summerseat is the subject of a planning application to separate it into four individual homes.

The house, on Wood Road Lane, was purchased in 2019 collectively by a family with the intention of dividing the building up into ‘wings’ for each of the four family members to live in. The family currently lives in the house, but there are parts of it that need to be refurbished and other parts that need remodelling to suit modern living standards.

Huge solicitors office could be transformed into new apartment block and townhouses

A new apartment block could be coming to Northenden after plans for 34 new flats and five townhouses have been submitted.

The plans centre on a site that is currently the home of Express Solicitors, a legal practice specialising in personal injury claims. But the Palatine Road company has plans to relocate to a larger office at South Court in Sharston and, if the proposal is approved by Manchester Council, the company’s home of 20 years will be transformed into new living accommodation in the centre of the suburb.

Plans for 25-storey tower in Cheetham Hill as city centre expands

A new 25-storey tower could come to Cheetham Hill if the latest plans are approved by Manchester Council.

The residential block would feature 154 one and two-bedroom apartments – 20 pc of which would be affordable – with some space for businesses on the bottom floor. If the plans for One Park Place are approved, a former jewellery store on the site off Cheetham Hill Road would be demolished to make way for the development. 

Luxury student flats included in massive tower plan in Ardwick

‘Premium’ student flats are included in plans for a huge tower block in Ardwick. Developers say it will help tackle a shortage in accommodation.

Vacant land off Plymouth Grove, once home to a now-demolished hotel, could see an eight-storey block built, with 263 students. It would have two levels – one six-storeys, one eight.

In Oldham only three applications have been submitted to the council which are only small in scale. 

A small alteration to an approved plan has been tabled alongside two applications for single storey extensions to homes on Dunham Street in Lees and Rochdale Road in Shaw.

New private hire taxi firm office tabled in Littleborough

A small office space in Littleborough could be changed into a new taxi booking office.

Plans submitted to Rochdale Council details that no material changes would be made to the site on Church Street. According to the proposal put forward by Mr R Razaq, the space would be occupied by two to three members of staff taking phone calls and booking jobs for cabbies.

Only one planning application was submitted to Salford City Council this week which was sought to determine whether approval was needed for a house extension on Hallstead Avenue in Little Hulton.

New ‘community driven’ micro-pub

A new “community driven” micro-pub could be opening in Stockport. 

The plan is to transform a vacant chemist on Stockport Road West in Bredbury into a new space with outdoor garden areas, a bar, and a function room. The applicant already runs three successful venues including the Wobbly Stamp in Cheadle, and the latest edition could employ four staff members to run the site.

Plans for new modernised wards at Stepping Hill Hospital 

New replacement wards with space for 64 beds are being planned at Stepping Hill Hospital.

The proposal for a two or three storey building on the hospital grounds will include clinical space, clinical support and staffing areas such as restrooms and changing facilities. The purpose of the new site is to provide a modern environment for patients to replace the existing ‘outdated’ facilities according to the planning statement. 

The building on brownfield land is not expected to increase capacity or traffic in the area.

Multiple trees at Tameside General Hospital could be felled if the latest plans are approved

A number of trees are in poor condition on the hospital grounds, a planning application said. A total of nine trees would be chopped down due to rotting and dieback, a few more would be pruned back as part of the plans for the Fountain Street site.

The plan to bulldoze Jehovah’s Witnesses building and youth club for ‘high-quality’ homes

A plan to demolish a building used by Jehovah’s Witnesses to make way for four new homes in Trafford has been submitted.

The four ‘high-quality’ homes will take shape at the site on Wellington Road in Timperley, if the council gives planning permission. They will be in a pair of five-bedroom semi-detached properties parallel to adjacent homes on Brook Close.

Starbucks drive-thru could be built opposite rival coffee shop in Leigh

A new drive-thru Starbucks could be coming to Leigh if the latest proposals are approved.

The American coffee shop chain has agreed to occupy a new unit based at Parsonage Retail Park – which includes a number of retail outlets such as Sainsbury’s and TK Maxx. Starbucks have ‘identified a requirement for representation within the Leigh area’, which is why they have agreed to the venture.

School rebuild plans kick up a stink in Leigh

A plan to rebuild a school in Leigh has been met with fury from locals who believe children could be harmed from ‘poorer air quality.’

St Thomas CofE Primary School was one of the schools picked for redevelopment by the Department for Education as part of the government body’s Schools Rebuilding Programme back in 2021. Under the current proposals, the existing site would be demolished and replaced by a new school south of Hawkhurst Street – approximately 140m north of the existing site.