Residents are taking a stand against long running plans to convert a “derelict” historic workshop building into an Air B&B rental house.

The building, found on Back Chapel Street in Horwich, has been abandoned for the last 30 years, having first been built in the 1870s and according to local residents is structurally unsafe, with large cracks visible.

Two previous bids to convert the building to a rental house have been refused and now residents say they hope to defeat the latest attempt to do the same.

Cllr Richard Silvester, who represents the area on Bolton Council, said: “Currently there’s another planning application going through that I’ve objected to and that the residents have objected to.

“And its actually gone to Horwich Town Council who have recommended it for refusal.”

He added: “There’s no amenities space for the potential occupiers or for the guests who’ll be staying there.

“The owner of the building does not own the land to the rear or side of the building as this is in the ownership of another individual who will not and does not grant the owner of the building any amenity space.”

In what people nearby have described as a “long saga”, the property was first converted into a one-bedroom house in 2020 without planning permission.

A retrospective application was refused while another bid was made the next year only to be refused again.

An appeal made by the owner to overturn this decision was rejected by the national planning inspectorate in March this year.

Now residents hope that their objections will see a third bid, made in April last year and open for neighbourhood consultations until the end of May, refused as well.

Resident Ben Beardmore said: “The building dates back to the 1870s and was last used for storage.

“It has been derelict and abandoned for the last three decades because it is structurally unsafe with large cracks clearly visible and an unsafe roof.”

As well as Cllr Silvester, Mr Beardmore says that the residents have also been supported by Cllr Marie Brady.

The neighbourhood consultation will be open until Sunday, May 29.