EVERY month, the Warrington Guardian covers a multitude of different planning stories.

March was no different, with a number of applications coming before Warrington Borough Council.

Some have been approved, others have been knocked back, and some have only just been submitted, and are awaiting a decision.

Here are seven of the most prominent planning and development stories from the past month.

Empty pub set to be demolished and turned into housing

A DISUSED pub in Longford is set to be demolished and replaced by 14 new homes – if plans are approved.

Plans suggest The Poplars pub site could feature new townhouses arranged into blocks, each having three bedrooms.

Each house would either be terraced or semi-detached, and built with red-multi brick and a grey tiled roof.

The application was submitted this month and is awaiting a decision from the council.

Go ahead for plans to convert jazz café into chicken takeaway

PLANS to convert a Sankey Street jazz café into a flame grilled chicken takeaway have been approved.

The previous home of Acoustic Café will now be replaced by Pepe’s, branding itself as ‘the home of flame grilled chicken’.

Documents submitted alongside the plans state: “The proposal will serve the large community, of which are residential and commercial, with healthy grilled food.

“The changes to the existing building would be very successful in this vicinity which will only add as a positive project to help bring up the surrounding area.”

Green light for historic village pub to improve beer garden

ONE of Warrington’s oldest pubs has been given the green light to make improvements to its beer garden.

A new outdoor bar and timber-framed pavilion will be built at the Black Swan pub in Hollins Green, as well as alterations to the paved and gravel footpaths.

Documents state: “The proposal would meet the future needs of the business that operates the public house and hotel.

“This development will attempt to address the need to improve the recreational facilities for members of the public, while creating an attractive outdoor space close to the public house.”

Plans submitted for solar farm on green land outside village

A SOLAR farm could be installed on green land on the outskirts of Lymm, with plans currently with the council.

Lymm Community Energy Ltd is proposing a 2.5MW solar farm on land at Wildersmoor Hall Farm, on Higher Lane.

The scheme includes PV panels mounted on metal frames, new access tracks and an underground cabling.

The original plan was to develop and build a solar farm of double the size, but the vision was scaled back.

Delight for doughnut fans as new store approved

A POPULAR dessert chain will be opening a new drive-thru kiosk.

Krispy Kreme sought permission to open a branch off one of town’s busiest roundabouts in Cockhedge Green.

The scheme is for existing car park land which is part of School Brow Retail Park, in between Manchester Road, School Brow and Hopwood Street.

The size of the car park would be reduced from 120 spaces to 87, with the council approving the application.

Construction work to begin imminently for Fiddler’s Ferry project

WORK will begin in the coming weeks to utilise part of the Fiddler’s Ferry power station site for a new energy storage scheme.

A 150MW battery storage project will commence at the Cuerdley facility, which was decommissioned in March 2020, with the demolition of the first four cooling occurring in December.

Grand plans have been unveiled for the huge site, including hundreds of new homes and industrial warehouses.

Before then, an electrical battery storage facility will be built at the former coal-fired power station, capable of running for up to two hours at a time and helping to manage peaks of energy demand with the National Grid.

Six homes to go to make way for huge farmland housing development

PERMISSION has been granted to demolish six homes ahead of a huge new housing estate on farmland.

It was proposed that numbers 344, 346, 348, 458, 460 and 462 Poplars Avenue would be demolished ahead of work on the Peel Hall development.

Despite Warrington Borough Council refusing permission for 1,200 homes being built on the 170-acre farmland site in Houghton Green, the decision was overruled by the Planning Inspectorate in November 2021.

Homes to be demolished are located in the same position as the approved access points associated with the Peel Hall residential development.