A plan to convert a vacant building in Leigh town centre into two Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and apartments has been rejected by Wigan council. The building, located on Market Street within the town's conservation area, was formerly Carriages Funeral Services.
Proposed Development
Applicant Bidemi A Akinlade had sought permission to change the use of the ground floor to part retail unit and part four-person HMO. The first floor would have been a separate five-bed HMO, with two self-contained flats on the second and third floors.
Objections Raised
An objection from Jo Platt, MP for Leigh, highlighted evidence of 'localised saturation' in the area, with more than 30 HMOs in the immediate vicinity of Leigh town centre. The objection noted: "The neighbouring property has already been converted into a 12-bedroom HMO."
Platt raised specific concerns about the HMO element of the scheme, particularly regarding the intensity of use and potential impact on the surrounding community. While broadly supportive of bringing long-term vacant commercial properties back into use, she argued the site would have been better served by a residential element consisting solely of self-contained flats or apartments, each with their own amenities.
Local councillors Keith Cunliffe, Dane Anderton, and Lee Moffitt also objected on grounds of over-concentration of HMOs, lack of parking, and impact on nearby town centre regeneration projects.
Council Decision
A council planning officer report stated: "Additional HMO accommodation would add to existing pressures on the character of the town centre and community balance. In this context, the proposal would contribute to an over-concentration of multi-occupancy accommodation and would erode the mixed and balanced character of the area."
The application was subsequently refused, marking a victory for local concerns about the proliferation of HMOs in Leigh town centre.
