Plans submitted to Bolton council propose demolishing buildings in Farnworth town centre to create 49 apartments on land between Bank Street and Queen Street.
Applicant Auto Rental Car Hire Ltd has submitted the plans within the past week. The proposals include four buildings within the 0.345-hectare site, with private and communal amenity space, landscaping and parking.
Demolition of existing buildings
To create space for the new blocks, the plans apply for the demolition and clearance of four buildings currently occupied by the applicant's car hire, taxi maintenance and repair businesses.
The site sits between commercial buildings of the town centre and residential streets to the north and west. At the centre of the scheme, a landscaped podium would place a communal garden above residents' parking.
Design and accommodation
A design and access report supporting the plans said: "The proposal introduces 49 homes to a previously developed site within Farnworth town centre.
"The accommodation includes single-level apartments, townhouse-style triplex homes and semi-detached-style duplex homes. The range of one, two and three-bedroom homes provides for different household sizes, with shared facilities and a consistent architectural identity across the four blocks."
The report added: "The internal courtyard gives residents a quieter communal setting away from the street-side vehicle areas. Homes with direct access to the podium have their own terraces, whilst the shared routes and lifts allow the wider residential community to use the garden."
Parking and courtyard
The plans include 34 parking spaces. The report said: "The layout creates a sheltered residential setting within a tightly enclosed town-centre site. Buildings address Bank Street and Queen Street, while their inner elevations define a shared garden above the main parking area.
"The courtyard is intended to be used as well as looked at. Seating, a shared route and the central green space provide opportunities to pause, meet neighbours and spend time outside. The surrounding homes overlook the garden, giving it a clear residential character and natural surveillance."
Planners at Bolton council will consider the plans in the coming weeks.
