A PUB in Childer Thornton was given permission for a raft of improvements by planners.

The plans were put forward at Grade II listed The White Lion, New Road, Childer Thornton by pub company Daniel Thwaites.

Planning officers at Cheshire West and Chester Council were told approval was being sought for a single-storey extension to the beer cellar, a kitchen extension, new window and door openings and an extension to an outside drinking area along with internal changes.

Under the new plans, the beer cellar would be converted into a function/dining room and its extension would become a kitchen.

The existing kitchen at the pub and its previously approved extension would become a beer cellar.

Environmental protection officers pointed out proposed double doors to the outside drinking area would allow noise from the pub to cause ‘serious disturbance’ to nearby residents.

Neighbours said they were concerned about increased noise and traffic and kitchen smells.

The extensions would have little effect on the openness of that part of the borough’s green belt, planners believed.

The alterations would be sympathetic to the original building and would preserve its setting as well as any features of special architectural or historic interest it possessed.

They had been carefully thought out and would preserve the character of the area.

The concerns raised by residents had been noted but most of the plans had previous approval and they had not been thought to be unacceptably detrimental to residential amenity.

Planners pointed out that any unacceptable noise disruption could be dealt with by enforcing the licence in a more robust way.

They did not believe there would be any unacceptable loss of amenity for neighbours.

The application was recommended for approval subject to conditions and the borough council agreed the revised plans could have permission.