It's been a busy and varied week on the Chronicle website as April gets under way.

Here are five stories from the past seven days which have piqued your interest.

1. The rejection of 'enormous' student housing scheme in Newtown

What Jansons Property's 379-bed student housing scheme on Hoole Way would have looked like

Councillors' unanimous decision to turn down an application for an eight-storey 376-bed student block was greeted with applause by residents on Tuesday (April 4).

The proposed scheme for Hoole Way in Newtown was so big two members of the planning committee suggested neighbours would be in 'perpetual darkness'.

So-called 'studentification' is the source of a lot of debate in Chester, so it's no surprise thousands of you logged on to read this.

2. Motorcyclist's tragic death in Welsh Road crash

Floral tributes left in honour of motorcyclist Kevin Burnell who was killed in a crash on the Welsh Road

A collision on the A550 Welsh Road sadly claimed the life of a motorcyclist on Sunday (April 2).

Kevin 'Burnie' Burnell, 30, had taken part in the Wirral Egg Run charity event in the hours before his death.

In a moving statement, his family said he 'died happy and doing what he absolutely loved the most'.

Floral tributes have been left at the scene of the crash near Ellesmere Port .

3. A special delivery at Chester Zoo

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The arrival of a new baby at the zoo always puts a smile on our faces, and we think you had the same reaction judging by the droves of readers who clicked on this story.

Adorable footage of the newborn Rothschild giraffe shows him clumsily clambering to his feet within minutes of entering the world.

Giraffe team manager Sarah Roffe said: "That whole process, from a calf being born to it taking its very first steps, is an incredibly special thing to see.

“Those long legs take a little bit of getting used to but the new calf is doing ever so well, as is mum."

4. Starbucks and Greggs to join Greyhound Retail Park

A car park is being cleared on the Greyhound Retail Park to make way for two pods to house a Starbucks coffee shop and a Greggs bakery.

Coffee-drinkers and fans of baked goods were interested to hear that chains Starbucks and Greggs are the newest signings for the Greyhound.

The corner of the car park alongside Greyhound Park Road, on the opposite side of the road from Next and KFC, is being cleared to create space for two adjacent pods to house the operators.

Planning permission was granted last year to landowners Standard Life Investments UK Retail Park Trust.

5. Independent restaurants fight back against large chains

Chester MP Chris Matheson, far right, with independent restaurateurs Ali Karabacak from Istanbul BBQ, Cindy Kaya from Meze and Chip O Dee along with Mario Sciarrillo and Tabitha Jones from The Yard, Fred Lolliott from La P'tite France and Ernesto Sciarrillo, also from The Yard, pictured in Chester city centre.

Plenty of you had something to say on this story about why small business-owners have waged war against the marketing power of the big restaurant chains.

Restaurateurs met with Chester MP Chris Matheson – who wants to help form ‘Chester Independents’ group and promote the national Independents’ Day on the first Saturday in July – to voice their concerns.

Now Mr Matheson is organising meetings with the leadership team at Cheshire West and Chester Council and Chester Growth Partnership to see what can be done to fight their corner.