The concept of a MicroHome is on its way to Greater Manchester after planning permission has been given for affordable accommodation for a growing market of key workers by Oldham Council.
One hundred and forty micro-apartments are to be built over nine floors designed by Liverpool architect Falconer Chester Hall at Cardinal Place in the centre of the town.
The apartments will have a 24-hour reception and security and each self-contained apartment will include smart design features to maximize space such as beds and tables which fold away.
Residents will have access to communal areas including a gym and club room at entrance level, plus an attractive outdoor terrace.
A council report called the development: “a highly sustainable scheme which will bring into use an unfinished and derelict building thereby making a positive contribution to visual amenity, benefit the local economy, and assist in regenerating the area”.
The apartments will also appeal to people who wish to live close to the town centre or city transport links.
This type of accommodation has already proved popular elsewhere in the UK for those looking to take their first step on the housing ladder such as key workers and post-graduate students, and will help open up the residential market to a wider spectrum of society,” said Managing Director Adam Hall.
