'We don't want more bedsits - they will ruin our family-friendly area'

The property, on Ashfield Road, will become a six-room “house in multiple occupation” (HMO) after the change was given the go-ahead by Chorley Council's planning committee.

Members gave the nod to the revamp in spite of local objections. Seven people tried to block the housing bid, claiming there were already too many bedsits in the vicinity and that another HMO would “disrupt the family-friendly atmosphere” of the area” - potentially by becoming a source of antisocial behaviour.

Other objections centred around concerns over parking and the “cramped conditions” it was suggested future tenants would have to endure.

However, the committee heard that highways officials at Lancashire County Council did not believe the development would have an unacceptable impact on the surrounding roads - notwithstanding the lack of off-street parking.

The agent for the application - submitted by Brick and Beam Limited - told the meeting the property was close to public transport options and would include bicycle storage.

“Our anticipated tenant profile - young professionals and key workers - are also generally less car dependent. [We] consider it unlikely that any of our tenants will own a car,” the agent said.

The committee also heard that the average size of the rooms to be rented out is more than double the minimum set down in law - coming in at 13.1 square metres.

Committee member Cllr Chris Snow said he felt the converted premises - previously used by the since renamed Lancashire Care NHS Trust - would “look a lot better after this development than it currently does”.

The application was unanimously approved.