Spending more than a penny on toilet block to café plans

A NEW café planned for Uppermill could be ‘Greene’ by name and green by nature if proposals are accepted.

An application has been submitted on behalf of director Rick Scholes to turn the disused toilet block at George V Playing Fields into another outlet for Diggle-based Grandpa Greene’s luxury ice cream.

The vandalised loos, originally built in 2000, were closed in 2018 since when Oldham Council has sought an alternative use for the building from outside sources.

Now the lease could be taken on by Grandpa Greene’s, who want to provide a food preparation area, indoor seating, customer toilets, public toilets and a bin store.

The empty toilet block in Uppermill | Saddleworth Independent

They also require an extension to the building to provide a glazed outside seating area.

An eco-friendly, green sedum roof would be fitted.

In a planning statement presented to the local authority, it is said while a sedum roof is “more costly and requires more maintenance it has many benefits including reducing CO2 emissions, attracting wildlife, promotes sustainable drainage and boosts thermal performance.”

It is envisaged the new business will employ a minimum of five full-time staff and open between 9am to 7pm, seven days a week. There would also be a takeaway facility.

“The proposed conversion to a café and the provision of public toilets brings about significant public benefit to users of the park, not only in providing public toilets, but also to provide a long term and sustainable future for the building,” added the planning statement.

However, the toilet scheme hasn’t left everyone flushed with excitement. One objector has raised concerns about parking issues due to previous problems at Grandpa Greene’s prime site off Ward Lane.

Artists impression of plans for toilet block

Commenting on the planning portal, a resident wrote: “It is disappointing that comments relating to the parking provision have been included without discussion with any local residents but are instead anchored in officers’ views alone.

“Parking is provided or reserved for the neighbouring homes via private driveways or parking courts.

“However, given the much-publicised traffic issues relating to the applicants Diggle site, we are concerned the wider highways issues are not being taken into consideration.

“We would happily support this application, which makes much better use of a currently council managed asset both practically and financially for the public purse, if the parking restrictions in and around Tame Street and Wade Row could be enhanced by way of additional yellow lines to reduce the possibility of the same types of incidents that were apparent at the Diggle site.”

Two trees would have to be removed if the development is passed which will also bring about the loss of 57 square metres in floor area of public open space.

• To see the full application visit Oldham Council’s planning portal: https://tinyurl.com/2c3a66za

One Reply to “Spending more than a penny on toilet block to café plans”

  1. i live on hopkinson close and the parking is to busy for the area to have more cars + deliveries with trucks and vans and dustbin trucks
    trying to get down the very narrow lane
    this is much to big 40 seater with 5 staff and out side seating where are the going to park
    the park car park is always full to the hilt no spaces /the plan is to put bin store at the rear/which would be like diggle over flowing with smell at this time food outlets are many in uppermill around the high street and park about 12 to 14 very busy area
    we dont need more noise and pollution

    we the residents would be willing to take the toilets on and keep in good order / subject to council agreement

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