A TWO-storey terraced house could become a seven-bedroom shared accommodation site with permission now in place.

Plans for the house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Bolton Road were passed at a council meeting on Tuesday.

The red brick dwelling, which is located just over 1km away from Bury Town Centre, would house seven people.

Kieran Hedges, director of Eminence Developments, told the planning committee that the property is “strictly” for working professionals.

However, the application for an HMO at the property which is located opposite a children's day nursery was met with some concerns from neighbouring residents on Proctor Street.

One resident who has two young children objected to having a "bedsit" in the area in a letter to the council while others raised concerns about on street parking.

Church ward councillor Jackie Harris raised her concerns about overcrowding and overdevelopment in the area which is mostly made up of town houses with two to three people.

She objected to the plans saying that they would be “detrimental to residential amenity” because of increased traffic.

But Cllr Tony Cummings noted that if the plans were for a six-bedroom HMO, no application would be necessary because it would be considered "permitted development".

Defending the plans, Mr Hedges said that HMOs are part of a misunderstood model which has received “bad press”.

He added: “HMO tenants have a really low rate of car ownership”

Eminence Development, which is run by Mr Hedges and his wife, has invested half a million pounds on buildings which would have otherwise been left empty, according to the developer.

Cllr Gavin McGill, who was chairing the planning committee for the first time, said his concerns about noise had been dealt with in the application.

A total of six councillors voted in favour of the plans leaving only Cllr Harris to oppose them.