Birtle Residents Fear ‘Rat-Run’ Nightmare as Plans For Church Inn Transformation Into Offices Could Go-Ahead
Birtle — A volunteer group fighting to protect the character of a historic village has launched a fierce campaign against controversial plans to transform a derelict pub into a civil engineering office, fearing it will bring a, "constant rattling", of heavy vehicles through quiet local lanes.
Villagers in Birtle, on the edge of Rochdale, are rallying to object to proposals that would see the empty Church Inn, a building with a history dating back to the 1800s, turned into the new headquarters for BDB Special Projects Ltd.
The pub, which has stood on the Birtle crossroads since the Victorian era, closed its doors during the Covid-19 pandemic and never reopened. Since 2021, the site has remained vacant, falling into disrepair and eventually being put up for sale.
While locals acknowledge the building needs a new lease of life, the proposed solution has sparked outrage. Planning documents submitted to Rochdale Council detail plans to demolish the building’s extensions and construct a new roof for safety reasons, turning the interior into office space.
However, it is the exterior modifications that have caused the most friction. The proposal includes the creation of a car park with seven designated spaces.
The Birtle Trust, a volunteer organisation dedicated to preserving the local environment, is leading the opposition. While they stress they are not against the concept of office use, they are deeply concerned about the possible logistics of the site.
Concerns have centred on the size of the vehicles expected to use the site. However, planning papers from BDB Special Projects Ltd., likely seek to reassure residents that the spaces are not intended for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
According to the application, the spaces could be designed for, "light goods vehicles", specifically trucks and large vans used by the engineering firm. The company argues that the development is essential for the firm to remain in the local area and accommodate its expansion.
Despite these assurances, the Birtle Trust remains unconvinced, arguing that even light commercial vehicles will add to congestion and noise in the narrow village lanes.
BDB Special Projects Ltd. has confirmed that they are aware of the local concerns. Rochdale Council will now consider the application, weighing the economic benefits of saving a historic building from ruin against the fears of residents that their countryside land could become a commuter route for business traffic.
Villagers in Birtle, on the edge of Rochdale, are rallying to object to proposals that would see the empty Church Inn, a building with a history dating back to the 1800s, turned into the new headquarters for BDB Special Projects Ltd.
The pub, which has stood on the Birtle crossroads since the Victorian era, closed its doors during the Covid-19 pandemic and never reopened. Since 2021, the site has remained vacant, falling into disrepair and eventually being put up for sale.
While locals acknowledge the building needs a new lease of life, the proposed solution has sparked outrage. Planning documents submitted to Rochdale Council detail plans to demolish the building’s extensions and construct a new roof for safety reasons, turning the interior into office space.
However, it is the exterior modifications that have caused the most friction. The proposal includes the creation of a car park with seven designated spaces.
The Birtle Trust, a volunteer organisation dedicated to preserving the local environment, is leading the opposition. While they stress they are not against the concept of office use, they are deeply concerned about the possible logistics of the site.
Concerns have centred on the size of the vehicles expected to use the site. However, planning papers from BDB Special Projects Ltd., likely seek to reassure residents that the spaces are not intended for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
According to the application, the spaces could be designed for, "light goods vehicles", specifically trucks and large vans used by the engineering firm. The company argues that the development is essential for the firm to remain in the local area and accommodate its expansion.
Despite these assurances, the Birtle Trust remains unconvinced, arguing that even light commercial vehicles will add to congestion and noise in the narrow village lanes.
BDB Special Projects Ltd. has confirmed that they are aware of the local concerns. Rochdale Council will now consider the application, weighing the economic benefits of saving a historic building from ruin against the fears of residents that their countryside land could become a commuter route for business traffic.
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