Accommodation refurbishment at Leopold Court, Leopold Street, Rochdale

What was proposed

The application proposed minor extensions and infills, refurbishment, more bedrooms, replacement windows and doors, resurfacing, gates, lighting and landscape works.

“Report Title: Report to Planning Committee Application Number PL/2025/1215 Proposal Minor extensions and infills to facilitate the re- organisation and refurbishment of internal spaces and to increase bedroom capacity from 23 to 32 (29 standard, 2 category 3 and one emergency room), along with replacement of windows and doors, resurfacing of external areas, minor landscape works, new access gates and new and upgraded external lighting.”

“The application is for three minor extensions and infills to the ground floor area of the building to facilitate the re-organisation and refurbishment of internal spaces. The extensions and infills are single storey and located to the northern side of the building. There are a number of changes to the fenestration of the building comprising new windows and doors or the replacement of doors with windows or windows with doors.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site provides temporary accommodation and support services in a partly two-storey building surrounded by homes, fencing, trees and planting.

“The application site provides temporary accommodation and associated support services, including emergency beds for individuals experiencing…”

Officer report

Officers’ recommendation

Officers recommended approval because the accommodation meets significant local need, the use is already permitted and the works would have limited impacts.

“The principle of this use on the site is already permitted and with respect of the intensification of the use, it is considered that the increased bedspaces resulting from the extensions themselves is negligible.”

“The Strategic Housing section have advised that the Council has 316 statutory households in temporary accommodation, 99 of those are single households which represents 31% of all households in temporary accommodation and this figure is anticipated to increase in the near to medium term. It is therefore acknowledged that the Council needs to retain and increase the supply of this type of accommodation to meet local need and demand.”

Officer report

Effects on neighbours

Officers considered that the extensions would not cause unacceptable privacy, overshadowing, overbearing, lighting, noise or disturbance impacts.

“The proposed extensions and infills are located to the north of the site which is the furthest side of the building to the closest residential properties. As such, these extensions and infills are not considered to impact on the neighbouring residential properties in terms of loss of privacy, overshadowing or overbearing effects.”

“A large number of objections have been received in regard to the impact of increasing the number of residents at Leopold Court where it is stated that the current arrangement already impacts residents in respect of noise, disturbance, anti-social behaviour, crime, impacts on residential amenity and safety.”

Officer report

Who addressed the committee

The Chair invited an objector, a Ward Councillor and a representative of the applicant to address the committee.

The decision

Planning permission was granted subject to the planning conditions set out in the officer report.

“DECISION: That planning permission be GRANTED subject to planning conditions set out in the report.”

Minutes

Conditions attached

The conditions covered commencement, approved plans, matching materials, detailed lighting, tree protection, bats, hedgehogs and nesting birds.

“Prior to the commencement of development, the erection of fencing for the protection of any retained tree or trees shall be undertaken in accordance with the Arboricultural Impact Assessment by SEED, Issue Date: 27 th November 2025, Ref: 2045-AIA-V1-A, received by the Local Planning Authority on 4 th December 2025 before any equipment, machinery or materials are brought on to the site.”

Officer report