Neighbours' fears over plans to turn big house into 22 studio flats

Residents in Salford are set to protest against plans to convert a large Victorian house into 22 studio apartments. Plans for the scheme on Barrfield Road, Irlam have been submitted to the city council’s planners, sparking fears among neighbours it would be occupied by students on courses at universities in Salford and Manchester.

However, the builder behind the scheme has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that students are not his target market. The plans which include parking spaces for 15 cars were tabled last week and triggered alarm among owners of other large Victorian properties.

None of the residents who contacted the LDRS wanted to be named. The residents are predominantly of South Asian origin and they fear the application will be approved because ‘our opinions matter less than in other more affluent areas of the city’.

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One said: “We live in big spacious terraced houses dating back more than 100 years, and many are now being converted into flats. When you are renting out bedrooms to people, it doesn’t have much of an impact, but in this case 22 more people could generate up to 30 more cars round the streets, with 15 spaces on the site.”

Another said: “The neighbours have spoken amongst themselves and there are fears this could drag the neighbourhood further down. There are student properties already around here and there are issues over how well they are maintained and that when they leave to move, their rubbish is just dumped out in the street."

Applicant C&T Real Estate Ltd, run by 28-year-old builder Tom Muscat. He told the LDRS: “There is no intention for this development to be student apartments. The plan is for them to