Vacant and “dilapidated” working men’s club could become apartment development

Woodend Working Men’s Club, on Woodend Crescent, Windhill, is the subject of a new planning application to convert the vacant building into nine apartments.

The plans, submitted by Michael Raymond Smith, say the site would become “quality but affordable housing” and breathe new life into the large, vacant building.

The application says the work to the building would “lift the appearance of the area.”

If approved, the ex-pub and cafe would be fully renovated to create a mix of one, two and three -bed flats.

Recent residential developments in the area mean the building, a short distance from Leeds Road, is now surrounded on all sides by housing.

The planning application says: “The site is currently not in use in a dilapidated state and in need of repair. The external car park and land are empty and not in use.

“The building that currently sits on the site requires considerable renovation and restoration, including new windows/ doors, external remodelling, single storey roofs lifting and a full interior strip out.

“The current building is understood to be of 70’s build and offers little features of architectural merit, therefore a full revamp and modernisation is required to attract potential occupants and address the local authority’s demand for quality but affordable housing.

“The proposal will set out to offer a robust, high quality and realistic scheme by making use of an existing structure and lifting the overall appeal of the area.

“The building offers little to the area in its current dilapidated state and therefore the proposals are likely to be well received by the local residents.”

There would be four one-bed flats, four two-bed flats and a three-bed flat. The rest of the site will be refurbished to create a shared garden for the flats, with more parking created, increasing the number of spaces from seven to 13.

A decision on the application is expected next month.