AN UNUSED changing room complex at a Mossley playing fields is to be demolished and replaced with a community café.
The dilapidated facility at Egmont Street will come down after a scheme by Stalybridge-based Works4U was approved.
Initially, it was hoping to refurbish the current structure and turn it into a café. However, it is believed surveys have deemed it must come down.
Now an entirely new structure – a café/bar and function room – will be put in its place after Tameside Council gave it the go ahead.
Egmont Street’s changing rooms have stood empty for some time and were boarded up by Tameside Council following vandalism and for safety reasons.
It adopted an asset transfer policy and listed them for disposal.
And after seeking expressions of interest, five initially put themselves forward, including a local youth football organisation, a new company from Hyde specialising in film making, but with community outreach ambitions and a building company.
When the renovation work is complete, the new pavilion will be open from 7am until 11pm and employ three staff members.
Talks over what could become of the Egmont Street changing rooms excited Councillor Stephen Homer, who believes it can prove a huge addition to the area.
He said previously: “If this is done right, that place will become a destination. People would flock from all over the place to go there.
“If you can make that avenue for people to go to, Works4U will see a massive return on their investment.
“And it would be brilliant for the town as well. It’ll bring more people to Mossley and would open that space up to so much more.”
Back in 2023, Works4U collaborated with Mossley Town Council to gather ideas from locals on what they wanted to see.
As well as creating the café, the educational organisation wants to provide training in hospitality skills, a place for the community and park users to enjoy and potentially to bring more local jobs.
One comment was received during a consultation, citing concerns over noise, parking, fears a decking area may attract anti-social behaviour and how having a food facility close to a river may attract vermin.
And Tameside Council officers conceded when setting the opening times: “The introduction of this kind of café/bar and function room use will therefore potentially create associated noise and disturbance at times not associated with the current use.
“This is particularly the case late in the evening. It is essential therefore that these properties should be protected in terms of their residential amenity.
“It should also be acknowledged however that the proposed building will be used for purposes ancillary to that of the recreation use.
“The daily opening times of 07:00 to 23:00 hours Monday to Sunday and Bank Holidays are considered to be acceptable in this location.”
Works4U was also told no hot food preparation equipment can be brought into use unless and until a scheme for the effective deodorising and degreasing and dispersal of emissions has been agreed.
No development above ground level can commence either until details of a scheme to soundproof the building has been approved.
However, Works4U said: “We seek to enhance the lives of all learners by helping them to raise their self-esteem, build their confidence and achieve their full potential in terms of education and vocational training, recognised qualifications, skills and employment enhancement.”