A plan has been lodged to transform a storage area into yet another house of multiple occupancy (HMO).

If approved, the scheme put before the council will see the storage area of Higher Market Street in Farnworth turned into a four bedroom HMO.

The council’s highways team has already said that they have no objections to the plan.

A statement said: “Owing to the premises town centre sustainable location then no reasonable objections on highway grounds to the proposed change of use indicated under this application.”

The Bolton News: The plans will now be considered by Bolton CouncilThe plans will now be considered by Bolton Council (Image: FP Architecture and Planning)

The plan will also include new windows and roof lights being installed.

Under the current rules, developers need to apply for planning permission from Bolton Council if they intend to convert a normal house into an HMO with more than six bedrooms.

But they will still need to apply for HMO licences.

The growth of HMOs around Bolton has long been a topic of debate with supporters saying they have helped to ease the borough’s housing shortage.

But opponents have frequently raised concerns about over crowding and the pressures on public services, schools and the roads.

Just last April a similar plan to transform a vacant shop on Higher Market Street in to a 14-bedroom HMO was refused by the council after letters of objection were received from people living nearby.

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The concerns they raised included the possible impact on their privacy, about parking in the area, pedestrian safety on Mather Street and the impact on access to doctors, dentists’ surgeries and schools in the area.

Another example at the start of this year saw a proposal for a seven person HMO on Lower Rawson Street, Farnworth, thrown out amid concerns raised by Cllr Nadeem Ayub about the impact on parking, facilities and anti-social behaviour.

The most recent application for Higher Market Street was put before the council on October 10 this year and only aims to make space for four people.

A neighbourhood consultation will now be open until Tuesday October 31 to give people living nearby on Higher Market Street the opportunity to have their say about the plans.

The council will then aim to make a decision by Tuesday, December 5 this year.