SADDLEWORTH’S capital of café culture could soon be welcoming a new addition – but not everyone is enamoured with the proposals.
Hardly has the froth disappeared on plans to open a new branch of Grandpa Greene’s than proposals have been submitted to open another café in the centre of Uppermill.
Oldham Council planners have been asked to consider the re-development of the former Stepping Stones nursery.
The premises, which closed in 2020, back onto King George V playing fields which is the location for Grandpa Greene’s hoped for conversion of the public toilets. The property lies in the Uppermill Conservation Area.
A planning statement submitted to the local authority requests permission for a “small ground floor extension and a first-floor extension.” The latter has a working title of ‘Balcony in the Park.’
It continues: “The applicants’ intention (is) to use the whole of the building as a café with associated facilities, offering a range of hot and cold food and drinks.
“To continue the nursery/family ethos established over many years, the applicants are extremely keen to continue to be children and family focussed in their new business enterprise.
“The café will provide a family friendly environment welcoming children of all ages with disabled access and toilet facilities on the ground floor.
“An outdoor terrace will be provided at ground level with a balcony at first floor level to provide an attractive and pleasant outdoor seating areas overlooking the park.”
Proposed opening times submitted on the application form are 7am to 8pm, seven days a week.
Four existing car parking places will be retained while it is proposed to employ three full-time and 10, part time staff.
Planning consultant Maxine Parker states: “Change of use from a nursery to a café does not constitute development. The application is, therefore, seeking only consent for the proposed alterations and extensions to the building.”
A consultation to canvas public opinion was held last December. But escalation of the plans saw an unauthorised Facebook group – Prosecco in the Park – established but then removed at the request of the applicants.
Of the 12 public comments submitted on Oldham Council’s planning portal at the time of writing this article, 10 object to the plans.
One person wrote: “Potentially having two premises selling alcohol overlooking a park is shocking.
“It also shows the utter lack of respect and contempt to those residents whose homes currently overlook the park, river and canal, will potentially be faced with a blank wall and solar panelled roof. Absolutely disgusting – would these applicants allow that to happen at their home???
Another commented: “The building does need to be brought back into use – but there needs to be a sensible approach to the combined application for the toilet block as well as the impact upon the neighbouring homes.
“As it stands if both proposals are permitted there will be a total of 9 cafes/eateries not inc restaurants surrounding the park/high street – many of which offer take away that results in customers parking where ever they can as they ‘pop in’.”
Concerns about impact on the Conservation Area, access issues, traffic and lack of parking were also raised.
Writing in support, a person said: “This application is exactly what Uppermill is in need of and will be an amazing addition for families and the elderly. With the added bonus of on-site parking this will be a very welcoming addition to the park.”
The expiry date for consultation is given as May 16, 2022 with a determination deadline of June 8, 2022.
To view the application in full visit Oldham Council’s planning portal: https://tinyurl.com/yc6v8h52
Five good reasons why most people in Uppermill is against this application
1. NOISE AND DISTURBANCE RESULTING FROM USE
Introducing a busy 80-seat cafe to a quiet residential park will result in significant noise and disturbance and harm for both the residents whose properties adjoin the park, and for users who enjoy the park as a quiet and reflective space. In the consultation meeting the applicant made it clear that it was their intention to apply for an alcoholic license at a later date, but “apply for a cafe first” as a shoo-in to ensure the building would be allowed. This disingenuous act will result in significant harm to both residents and visitors, with noise, litter and light pollution into the evenings.
2. ADEQUACY OF PARKING
The proposed development requests a minimum 80-seat cafe, which at full capacity (including staff and takeaway customers would be 100+ people. Assuming that visitor numbers who use cars are a conservative ratio of 1/5 this development would require an extra 20 car parking spaces not to have a negative impact on local parking. The applicant has provided no extra parking spaces.
3. TRAFFIC GENERATION
When this building was a nursery there were two periods, five times a week (8am-8.30am and 3pm-3.30pm, Monday to Friday) when problems occurred in traffic congestion. The proposed change to a 12-hour day with a possible 100 person unit would cause significant traffic generation, of which the applicant has not only ignored, but failed to even address.
4. VISUAL AMENITY
The massing of the proposed building will cause harm to the visual amenity of the surrounding historic buildings and their views from, and to, the parkland. The scale of the development is too large for the footprint and will be an overbearing presence in the park.
5. DESIGN, APPEARANCE AND MATERIAL
The proposed building does not even attempt to understand the sensitive context of the Uppermill village conservation area. It’s use of materials and design is both inappropriate, introducing a vulgar new architectural vernacular to one of Greater Manchester’s most historic village centres.
“Prosecco in the Park” – ha ha ha, that’s EXACTLY what it’s going to be, the owners told us that already. 100 people drunk in the park on a Saturday night, stay classy Uppermill 🤪🤪🤪
The proposers have through the claim that they want this to continue as a open venue for families and people with mobility issues is very welcome. My concern is that this will become yet another uppermill bar overlooking a childrens park,
There is no other Bar free space in Uppermill so lets keep it that way, The proposed times are until 8pm but you could be there from say midday drinking, not good is it.there will be applications for extended opening ,it always happens. This is A BAR/CAFE Application,not a cafe with limitations as stated Be wary. the applicants want a venue overlooking the park simple as that, PROSECCO IN THE PARK as Janey has said
Don’t know why the owners keep denying that it’s designed to be a bar, you only have to look at the floor plans to realise the tiny preparation area can’t feasibly serve a 100+ seater restaurant. They’re applying for a “cafe” then following it up with an alcohol license, using Grandpa Greenes adjacent building (which has a license) as precedent. Let’s not pretend otherwise.
Oldham Council never listen to residents, they are intent on granting any plans in Saddleworth that incorporate alcohol served on premises. And yet the Tories still get voted in, who sit on these panels
I think it would be a good addition to the people of uppermill,who’s friends and family would be able to have a great day and to those further a field who visit the village..
we dont need any more cafes or bars we will take the fun out of uppermill
parking over flow
police spoke to me its already very congested on friday and saturday evening just come and have a look