A FORMER nursing home in Egerton is to be turned into an apartment block.

Members of Bolton Council’s planning committee gave approval to plans to convert the former Galebrook Nursing Home, in Longworth Lane, into 23 apartments.

The front facade of the home is to be retained but the rest of the building, which has been derelict since it closed as a home in late 2007, is to be demolished.

Cllr John Walsh said: “Keeping the facade and using materials such as stone from the site is essential.”

He added that he did have concerns with regards to the access of the site and eight letters had been submitted objecting to the development on the grounds of increased traffic, loss of tranquillity in the area and the junction of Longworth Lane and Blackburn Road being unsuitable.

Cllr Laurie Williamson argued that more parking spaces were needed but planning officers told the committee that the 28 spaces in the plans met the standard expected for this kind of development.

Any more spaces would have an affect on trees within the site and could lead to them being felled.

Those behind the scheme have agreed to pay Bolton Council £150,000 as a section 106 payment to provide affordable housing elsewhere in the borough.