Kearsley: Plan to turn Spread Eagle into new HMO approved

The former Spread Eagle pub on Manchester Road, Kearsley, will now be turned into an eight bedroom “house of multiple occupation” (HMO) despite 42 letters of objection having been sent in.

Cllr Debbie Newall, of Kearsley, spoke out against the plan at a town hall planning meeting this week.

She said: “It does feel a bit like groundhog dog because its another day another HMO.”

She added: “The residents of Kearsley feel very much under siege from HMOs at the moment.”

The vote was taken at Bolton Town Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The Spread Eagle, once described as "a traditional local pub in the heart of Kearsley", was one of many around the country to close after the pandemic.

The plan to turn it into housing was brought before a meeting of the council’s planning committee this week after former councillor Paul Heslop raised concerns about the effects it would have on parking.

This was especially the case given how crowded the junction around nearby Slackey Brow can get.

Cllr Newall said: “It is a very, very, bad junction to get out of, either left or right.”

She told the committee that various people around Kearsley had expressed concerns to her about the safety implications that this would have.

Addressing the members, Cllr Newall said: “We make decisions here that people have to live with.”

She added that she would be opposing the plan “more in hope than expectation” but hoped other members would join her.

Other councillors said that they understood why people in the area, which has seen five new HMOs proposed in recent times, would be concerned.

But they also pointed out that the building was vacant and likely to remain so unless it was redeveloped.

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Cllr Robert Morrissey, of Breightmet, also questioned concerns about the effect that the new HMO would have on parking and traffic.

He pointed out that the Spread Eagle was found close to a bus stop and train station, while it was possible that the people moving in would not have their own cars.

This is especially the case because of the likely residents of HMOs being students and single people rather than families.

He said: “Single people in flats are less likely to own cars, full stop.”

Ultimately a majority of committee members voted to approve the plans.