Bradshawgate plan for new flats above former Shots bar

The space above the former Shots Bar Club on Bradshawgate has been empty since the venue closed several years ago.

But now a scheme has been put forward to create five new “self-contained apartments”, an alternative to the original plan to covert the space into a nine-bedroom shared house.

Cllr Richard Silvester, of Queens Park and Central, said: “I support this planning application as it is for five self-contained apartments which will make a good use of the presently empty retail and business space and it is a much better application than the potential of the same residential space becoming a HMO, which I would not be able to support.

The plans were put before Bolton Council (Image: Nu-Fit Design Ltd)

“As such, this planning application provides much more secure, spacious and pleasant living conditions for future residential occupiers than that of a HMO environment.

“I therefore support this planning application as it is much more the kind of planning application we are looking for as a Council for the conversion of empty property space into apartments for Bolton town centre, rather than having HMOs.”

Houses in multiple occupation, or HMOs, have proven to be controversial when they have been proposed for other spaces around Bolton.

Critics have argued that they do not provide people with enough living space and place an extra burden on nearby transport links and public services.

In December last year Cllr Silvester had descried plans to turn a house on Mayor Street, near Queens Park, into a HMO as “going back to Victorian time.”

But the area above the former Shots bar will instead be turned into full apartments under plans, which Cllr Silvester has argued provide a much better living space.

The developers have also pledged to take account of the “conservation zone” between Silverwell Street and Wood Street, which aims to protect the area’s heritage.

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A statement said: “We believe that the proposal is in keeping with the conservation area.

“It complements the distinct historic and heritage features of the conservation area.

“The proposal is not out of scale with the plot or any adjacent listed buildings and the area as a whole.

“The proposal does not in any way enhance or diminish the historic environment, the character and setting of the conservation area.”

Bolton Council will aim to decide whether or not to approve the bid in May.