Vacant community centre could have new lease of life as furniture showroom

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A former community hub could be given a new lease of life as a furniture showroom and repair centre. Plans to convert the long-vacant Greave Community Centre, in Rochdale, have been brought forward by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) - the borough’s largest social housing provider.

RBH is proposing a series of works to modernise the Denehurst Road building in order to ‘provide a space to receive, repair, store and sell donated items.

A document submitted in support of the new planning application says the shop will be used by residents who make up ‘the RBH community’ and support five full time jobs. “The proposal will see an existing community hall changed to a community furniture and home goods restoration centre and showroom (retail) for Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH),” it adds. READ MORE : New plans revealed for 200-home neighbourhood at controversial site The scheme proposes only ‘minimal’ internal redevelopment work to update the stone panel-clad building generally and enable the change of use to a showroom These include converting the female toilet facilities into a laundry room, while the men’s would be used as a room for testing portable electrical appliances.

Externally, however, the scheme would involve alterations to the existing metal railings and low brick wall at the front of the building.