The former Urmston cottage hospital is to be converted into 16 apartments following approval of a scheme by Trafford’s planning committee.

Applicant Qasim Shah will turn the vacant Victorian building which has until recently served as the Serendipity care home for the elderly on Greenfield Avenue into self-contained flats.

Three single-storey flat-roofed rear elements will be demolished under plan and there will be changes to several windows and doors. 

Councillors were told that the planning permission would be conditional on a £268,000 contribution from the applicant for the provision of affordable housing elsewhere, secured through what is known as a Section 106 agreement.

The apartments will be a combination of one, two and three-bed homes. Members of the committee were told there had been letters of objection from 16 neighbouring properties worried that the proposal would result in "over-development" of the plot with ‘too many’ apartments proposed. 

They also argued that most of the flats would be too small and would not satisfy National Design Space Standards, although this was rebutted by planning officers.

There would be "inadequate access to natural light", one said.

The committee was told how the building is considered to be a non-designated heritage asset because of its significance as a former cottage hospital.

They were told that planning officers considered that any harm to the building by the scheme would be mitigated by it being brought back into use on a brownfield site in a "sustainable location", which means it will be near public transport links.

There will be parking and vehicle access at the north end of the site.

Chair of the committee, Cllr Barry Winstanley, said that he had been watching the progression of the development.

He said: “There have been various proposals [for the building] and I’ve watched the officers get something which I think is an acceptable proposal. 

“It will preserve lots of the heritage assets while providing a number of apartments which are at least the national minimum space standards.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Shirley Proctor hailed the accessibility elements of the development which means disabled people will be able to use the building.

“I am thrilled to see the cottage hospital finally being made into something that benefits local people,” she said.