£600 a month for ‘home office’ in flats bin store
AN ADVERT for a bin room converted into a city centre ‘home-office’ for £600 a month has sparked outrage.
The one-bed ‘studio’ at the bottom of Jefferson Place in the Green Quarter was offered for rent on RightMove this week.
Pictures show a kitchen and cupboard made out of chipboard in an apparently windowless room next to the entrance to the car park.
The advert describes the space as a ‘modern studio’ that has been ‘newly refurbished.’
“This would be the ideal home office for any working professional who wants to be located in the buzz of city centre, close to all amenities,” it says.
The property is summarised as having ‘1 bedrooms,’ as well as a kitchen, bathroom and shower, and that enquiries from students and people in receipt of housing benefit are welcomed.
However, it appears the property is not being offered for residential purposes, as the advert also says there will be no council tax to pay.
A maximum of four tenants is also suggested.
However, a spokesperson for Manchester council told the M.E.N. this still may require change of use approval and planning officers will be contacting the owner. An application to the council for change of use planning permission to convert the same space into a ‘studio apartment’ was refused in June.
Applicant Broompark Management described the space as a ‘vacant store.’
Maps lodged with the planning application show its location within the ‘bin store area.’
A covering letter said the studio would also have new windows added which would provide ‘the living and sleeping space with excellent outlook and ventilation, addressing previous concerns elsewhere in the Green Quarter of overreliance on artificial lighting.’
“This helps to create a comfortable living area and sufficiently lit space,” the letter adds.
The total floor space was 40 square metres.
But planners refused the application saying it would result in an ‘unacceptable standard of living accommodation for the proposed occupants and would not have a positive impact on the supply of high quality homes in this part of the city centre.’
The refusal went on: “Small windows would provide the only source of light and ventilation to the apartment, and the door and a window which is also located adjacent to the car park entrance would be particularly effected by noise, disturbance and fumes which would also contribute to the poorstandard of accommodation.
“The proposal would therefore have an unduly harmful impact on residential amenity by not meeting the required standard of accommodation.” A separate planning application to convert a different bin room area into a flat in Jefferson Place was also refused last year.
The ‘home-office’ advert has been slammed by commentators on social media.
“It’s essentially a dungeon with an en suite,” wrote one.
“That’s disgusting! Shame on them!” wrote another.
Another added: “Christ almighty, imagine paying £600 pcm to live in Oscar the Grouch Towers!”
“The UK rental market has lost its actual mind,” wrote another.
The M.E.N. has attempted to contact Broompark Management for comment but did not receive a response.
A Manchester council spokesperson said: “Planning officers are in the process of contacting the applicant to inquire about the listing.”