PLANS to build five one bedroom flats above three existing buildings on Bury Old Road in Prestwich have been submitted to the council's planning department.

The revised application concerns the conversion of the roof space of a blocks of flats known as Singleton Court to create an additional floor above the three buildings.

The plans would also provide cycle storage and bin storage facilities.

A similar application was refused earlier this year.

A design and access statement from consultants EA Planning ltd said: "During the redesign process, the applicants considered the options of creating three larger flats, however they were conscious that larger flats would be more suited to larger families and given the position of the proposed flats at second floor level, it was considered that the second floor flats would be more attractive to younger couples. "This has influenced the applicants decision to pursue a scheme for five smaller one bedroom flats."

The previous scheme was refused on several grounds including loss of parking spaces for the existing flats, inadequate parking provision and the belief it would be "seriously detrimental to the visual amenities of the area".

It was also thought that residents to the south on Ainsdale Avenue would have their privacy effected.

Proposed stairwells were also thought to be "dark and imposing" and "industrial in appearance".

The revised proposal includes the erection of new fencing in between the buildings, each with its own access gate, which cordons off the proposed stairwells and the existing side access doors to the ground floor flats.

It has also reduced the number of habitable room windows along the rear roof slope overlooking Ainsdale Avenue to five.

The new proposal also includes a revised parking plan which provides a total of 23 car parking spaces.

The statement added: "The proposal has been significantly reduced in size and scale with an emphasis on protecting the privacy and amenity of the neighbouring residential properties along Ainsdale Avenue.

"The design and appearance of the proposal has also been amended to ensure that it is proportionate to the scale of the host properties and is unimposing on the existing character of the surrounding area.

"There is a high demand for smaller one bedroom flats within this location with many young couples moving into the area which has good access to employment opportunities and local community facilities.

"The site is located on the border of Prestwich and Broughton Park in close proximity to all local amenities and communal facilities. The site is central within the local Jewish community. The proposed apartments are ideal for young just married couples which are very common within this area."