PLANNERS will decide this week if an old mill should continue to be used as a community and function room.

Bolton Council’s planning committee is due to consider an application relating to two units at St Paul’s Mill, in Barbara Street at 2pm tomorrow.

The proposal includes a function and community assembly space together with a serving area and kitchen.

The venue seats between 150 and 250 people and 25 spaces have been allocated within the existing car park that serves St Paul’s Mill as a whole last year.

The application went before the committee last June when residents and an adjacent mosque lodged objections over noise and traffic problems.

Despite officers recommending refusal members felt the issues could be resolved.

Former council leader Cliff Morris told residents and applicant Gulam Ali Jiva that they “had to learn to live together.”

Planning approval was granted pending discussions on what conditions were to be imposed.

Officers are now recommending the plans are approved on the condition a residents’ only parking scheme is put in place.

Suggestions that a further condition be imposed in the form of gates that would allow residents to park in Back Edgmont Avenue and Back Essingdon Street South have been ruled out by the council’s solicitor — as has a ‘prohibition of driving order’ (POD) that would stop motorists using the same streets.

New objections to the scheme provided to the case officer include concerns over cars “screeching” and "racing" as well as fears people would not be able to park outside their own homes.