A BARN will be converted into a house if planning permission is granted.
John Humphreys, of Lower Hills Farm in Lydgate, close to its border with Grasscroft, has applied to Oldham Council to alter the building that stands on the site.
If the go ahead is given, it will be turned into a three-bedroomed property, with its cladding and roof replaced.
And documents supporting the application state: “The application property is a single storey agricultural building with a lean-to roof that is used to store agricultural machinery for the associated farming activities.
“The land associated with the barn has been used since the 1950s as a mixed farm. In the last 20 years it has been used for the grazing of sheep as well as taking hay crops.”
Concerns the new use may impact on road safety were also contended.
Documents add: “Access to the building is gained from a shared access road on to Burnedge Lane, a 30mph road.
“This access has been used by the farm and the farmhouse for decades with no accident data recorded at the junction of the site and Burnedge Lane.
“There is good forward visibility from the site to Burnedge Lane and as such this will not result in any significant conflict between vehicles entering and leaving the site.
“The proposed development will have limited impact on highway safety.
“The existing barn and site is served by a hard-surfaced access track to the public highway. The access safely serves the farm and raises no highway safety issues.
“The proposed design and external appearance of the building are reasonably necessary for the building to function as a dwellinghouse.
“The conversion retains its original appearance as much as possible by utilising existing openings and proposing minimal new openings.”
Oldham Council’s planning committee will decide whether to grant or refuse permission.
That’s how it’s done these days, isn’t it? Back door to get planning permission for what was always intended in the first place.