Proposals have been submitted to create seven bed and breakfast rooms above a restaurant in Horwich. The Rivington Bar and Grill on Church Street is seeking permission to change the use of the first and second floors of the building for overnight hospitality.
Partially retrospective application
Planning reports supporting the application state that four rooms have already been used for bed and breakfast accommodation over the past 12 months. The proposals are therefore ‘partially retrospective’ and aim to formalise that use while creating three additional bedrooms.
A planning statement said: “The proposal is to convert the remainder of the first floor and second floor to create seven bed and breakfast rooms. Each room will have its own en-suite bathroom facilities. The Rivington will be available for lunch and dinner.”
External changes and heritage impact
The statement added: “The external changes proposed to the building will be the creation of two small rear dormers, the insertion of two roof lights and the alteration of an existing window to create a door which will be accessed by an extended area of decking and associated railings.”
The report notes that for the last year, ‘four rooms on the first floor have been used as bed and breakfast purposes rather than as a flat’ and that no change of use for that purpose has yet been granted.
Location and tourism policy
The restaurant is close to the West Pennine moors, Rivington Pike and Lever Park, and lies within the town’s Wallsuches conservation area. A heritage statement accompanying the plans concludes ‘that the proposals would conserve the significance of the designated heritage assets nearby and would not adversely affect the character or appearance of the Wallsuches conservation area’.
It added: “The limited harm to the non-designated heritage asset is outweighed by the benefits of securing an active and viable use of the upper floors, supporting the continued maintenance of the buildings, preserving local employment and sustaining the vitality of Horwich town centre.”
The application makes reference to Bolton’s tourism policy, which targets ‘niche short break takers including those interested in walking and countryside, history and heritage and food and drink’.
