Fears for future of Salford high street after council approves plans

Concerns are growing over the future of a Salford high street after the council approved an application for an 11-bedroom house share on the road.

More than 70 local residents wrote to Salford City Council to complain about plans for a house of multiple occupation (HMO) on 545 Liverpool Road in Irlam, which includes a studio apartment to the rear of the site.

They warned the move could cause 'increased levels of noise and disturbance' in the area, and said there are already a number of parking problems along the road.

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Despite the concerns, Salford council gave the plans the green light, in a bid to address the growing "housing crisis" across the city. The plans include creating four on site parking spaces, and the studio apartment being provided with one parking space.

But at a Salford council planning meeting on October 10, a local business owner addressed as Mr Mount spoke against the application.

He said there are already "conflicts" with parking in the area, and said the building's central courtyard could become a place for HMO residents to congregate in the summer months.

Mr Mount added: "While the four parking spaces meet the minimum requirements, we have to assume with 11 people living there there is potential for 11 vehicles, and naturally they will be looking for places to park."

The concerns were shared by local councillor Lewis Nelson, who said the house share is "not appropriate" on the high street and based next to an existing wine bar. He said the high street has gone through a major revival since the 1980s, but that the HMO risks stalling that progress.

"Businesses did not have the conditions to thrive, people stayed away from the high street because it was not an attractive place to be," he said.

"In more recent years there has been significant investment in the high street. We have created conditions where the community have a sense of pride in the street. What change happens now is extremely critical. We want to continue to create conditions where businesses do well and people feel safe."

Concerns were also shared by councillors Robin Garrido and Andrew Walters, who called for the council to arrange a site visit to the area to get a better picture of the situation. But these calls were rejected and the application was approved after a vote.

Coun Mike McCusker, Salford council's planning lead, pointed out that there is a "housing crisis across the city" which needs to be addressed by creating new homes.

He added that the demand for HMOs is being "very much driven by the benefits system," due to lower amounts of housing benefit paid to single people aged under 25.