Former hotel could be turned into HMO – but some neighbours aren’t happy

A former hotel and wedding venue in a ‘peaceful’ village in Saddleworth may soon become home to a new HMO.

Plans submitted for Clough Manor on Rochdale Road, Denshaw, would see a wing of the former inn transformed into a five-bed house in multiple occupation if approved by Oldham council. 

Developer Sophie Hartwell of Saddleworth Holdings Ltd intends to convert one of the hotel bedrooms into a shared kitchen and dining space. 

The five remaining bedrooms in the wing of the hotel would become part of one large shared housing unit, making use of existing en-suites, living areas and built-in kitchenettes. 

Ms Hartwell says the change of use would ‘support Oldham council’s emergency and supported accommodation needs’. 

But the plans have sparked concern among some neighbours. Several have suggested the plans are ‘wholly inappropriate for Denshaw, a peaceful and rural village characterised by family homes, open countryside, and a strong sense of community’.

While many raised concerns about road safety and noise, for most it is simply a case of an apparent lack of amenities and connectivity. 
“We are a small farming village on the edge of moorland,” one objector wrote. 

“Clough Manor is situated on the bend of a fast road where there is no bus service. There is also no tram or train connection; no doctors surgery; no shops; and no recreational facilities.

“To allow Cough Manor to become a HMO would invite noise and antisocial behaviour due to the unsuitability of the area for this type of accommodation.” 

Another wrote: “This property is unsuitable for what will undoubtedly be vulnerable people due to its location. With only one bus in and out of Denshaw on an hourly basis (which is unreliable), any resident of Clough Manor will struggle to access any of the support services which they would need, as these services would likely be based in Oldham, over five miles away.” 

The hotel has previously been used as emergency temporary accommodation to house people facing homelessness. 

Ms Hartwell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Only 15 per cent of the overall floorspace at Clough Manor is designed as self-contained HMO accommodation, which just exceeds the basic licensing threshold. The remainder continues to operate as traditional nightly and short-stay accommodation, in line with the building’s long-standing hotel use. 

“The proposal is intended to support Oldham Council’s emergency and supported accommodation needs, and we remain committed to delivering a safe, well-managed facility that benefits the local community. Any remaining points raised are a matter for formal planning consideration and assessment by Oldham Council’s Planning Department.”

The hotel has been subject to a number of planning applications in recent years, with a plan to turn adjacent grounds into a mobile caravan park rejected by the council earlier this year after it was found to be an ‘inappropriate development… harmful to the surrounding greenbelt’. 

Another application, submitted earlier this year, sought to turn another part of the hotel into a HMO – but was rejected as it would have offered ‘a very poor standard of living accommodation’ due to lack of daylight. 

Town planners accepted a proposal to turn part of the ground floor, including the hotel kitchen, into three apartments this July, despite objections by local residents and Saddleworth parish council.