Ancoats bistro on course for approval

Plans to transform a vacant Ancoats site into a bistro could soon secure the green light.The application concerns a unit within Victoria Square.The grade II-listed building was one of the first single class housing areas in the country when it was built in 1889 to provide homes for mill workers in Ancoats.There are a number of commercial premises along the Oldham Road frontage of Victoria Square, which contain uses such as shops, cafes, hairdressers and solicitors.The building originally contained 16 stores at ground floor. The application site was one of these, having been occupied by a Cobblers.However, it is understood to have been vacant for more than 15 years.Proposed is changing the use of the site into a venue comprising a bar, seating area, wine display and shop on the ground floor, and a kitchen and two toilets within the basement area.Approval has been recommended.