A 150-year-old Gothic-style former convent looks set to be given a new lease of life as a charity-owned hotel under new plans. The Werneth Grange building in Oldham was built by local cotton magnate Joseph Lees in 1871, before it was later occupied by nuns of the Sisters of Mercy convent. It is now owned by Coptic Christian charity, St Mark Universal Care, which has applied to turn the building's upper two floors into hotel accommodation.
Chief executive officer Ashley Williams said the aim was to hire rooms out to other charities, youth groups and businesses for retreats and conferences. Walls splitting the upstairs floor of the Manchester Road building into separate convent chambers will be removed under the proposal. An outside extension known as the infirmary, which used to house the elderly religious Sisters, would become the charity’s offices.
The application also seeks permission for some of these rooms to be used for ‘medical’ and ‘healthcare’ purposes. St Mark Universal Care, which is registered in Greater Manchester, supplies medical equipment to countries in the Middle East. The charity plans to rent some of the spaces to private medical consultants, according to the .
Mr William said parts of the complex will remain open to the public after locals fought for the future of the building several years ago. A group of them had bandied together in 2018 as the ‘Save the Grange’ group after the six remaining nuns of the home decided to move away and sell the building. Nearby residents were concerned the site would be developed into luxury flats or fall into disrepair.
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