Controversial plan to turn former Middleton town centre bank into nightclub

Controversial plans to turn a former town centre bank into a nightclub are to be decided upon next week.

Proposals for the old Royal Bank of Scotland, in Middleton, have generated dozens of objections from the public – many relating to concerns over anti-social behaviour.

Rochdale Council’s planning committee will decide on Thursday whether to allow a change of use after the application was called in by ward councillors.

Dating to the late 19th century, the Market Place bank was rebuilt in the early 1990s but retains its stone facade and several original features.

The four-storey building sits within the town centre conservation area. Next door is a Grade II building designed by the renowned architect Edgar Wood. 

Under the plans, tabled by Laaj Enterprises, the ground floor would be the main nightclub area with a bar and private VIP function room, with toilets, a staff room and another VIP area on the first floor. The existing central staircase will be retained.

No alterations are planned for the outside of the building.

The council sent letters to 46 nearby properties to notify them of the proposals, resulting in 38 objections.

These include concerns that a nightclub would not be ‘in keeping’ with the character of the conservation area, and that any signage or lighting could have a negative effect on historic buildings.

Others expressed fears that the venue would ‘directly lead to anti-social behaviour’ and that there would ‘inevitably be noise nuisance’, that could disturb residents.

Limited parking and additional strain on police and emergency services were also raised in the representations.

North Middleton councillor Kallum Nolan says that the area has a long-standing problem with violence and anti-social behaviour – the closing down of neighbouring Infinity Bar following a ‘Mad Friday’ brawl being a recent case in point.
 

Read more: Bar forced to temporarily close after Mad Friday brawl saw it stripped of licencePublished: 21 January 2020

“The issue we have got is we don’t want nightclubs along this row. It doesn’t seem to matter who the landlord is or who the licensee is, it does seem to attract violence when we have nightclubs with late night licences.

“It’s an issue we’ve been dealing with for a long, long time, we’ve had stabbings and even killings that have led to bars needing full-time door staff, that’s not the type of Middleton we want.”

Councillor Nolan says the other aspect has is that the ‘beautiful, old school building’ should be accessible for the wider community.

“We don’t see nightclubs as a community asset at the moment,” he said.

“We want to do our best to promote the evening economy, but with something a bit more family friendly than nightclubs.”

The Labour councillor acknowledges that the issues around anti-social behaviour may have to be addressed by the licensing panel, but hopes the planning committee can put in some conditions.

For him, it is a source of frustration.

“Local authorities need more powers and resources to challenge these sort of decisions,” he said.

“The planning committee may put restrictions on it as to the time it is allowed to operate, but all three ward councillors have been approached by residents to express concerns about an old-school beautiful building being turned into a nightclub.”

However, the officers report recommends the committee approves the plans, saying they would have a ‘positive impact’ upon the building and conservation area by bringing a vacant building back into use.

Although the report acknowledges the nightclub would generate noise during the evenings, the reports says this would make little difference to the conservation area.

“Officers do not consider that the use would result in any undue detrimental impacts upon the wider heritage assets of this location,” it states.

“The proposed use is considered appropriate within a town centre location where drinking establishments, restaurants, financial institutions, retail and wider business activities are commonplace.

“The unit is sited sufficient distance from any residential properties and the use proposed would not cause any noise and disturbance, over and above that already permitted at the site.”

A virtual meeting of Rochdale council’s planning committee will be held on Thursday 5 November at 6pm.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter