Three controversial housing developments in Ellesmere Port remain under consideration.

On Stanney Lane a determined campaign to save a popular pub in the town was said to be making progress.

Fears were raised that The Grace Arms appeared set to follow others in closing its doors prompted by Birkenhead-based Magenta Living announcing plans for up to 42 apartments.

A letter to Stanney Lane residents inviting them to a consultation, which did not mention The Grace, sparked a flurry of posts on Ellesmere Port’s Pride in the Port website about the possible loss of the Greene King-owned pub.

Magenta is teamed up with north Cheshire based Lane End Developments which specialises in new builds for registered housing providers. But the prospect led to objections and to the creation of a ‘Save the Grace Arms’ Facebook campaign which quickly attracted more than 650 ‘likes’.

Forty-two affordable apartments could be built on The Grace Arms pub on Stanney Lane

Activists said they had made ‘some headway’ with regards to protecting the pub ‘and ‘thanks to our friends at the Campaign for Real Ale’ the submission of an Asset of Community Value application was ‘nearly there’.

Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Justin Madders (Lab) also raised the wider issue of pub closures in Parliament mentioning The Grace.

At Magenta, community regeneration chief Jamie Martin said: “If the acquisition and construction proceeds this project will bring Magenta Living’s investment in affordable homes in Ellesmere Port to nearly £20m since 2014.”

On the A41 in Great Sutton 52 affordable homes are proposed at the much-loved Sycamore Park Garden Centre by the Liverpool-based Riverside Housing Association.

The former Ellesmere Port Pioneer was alerted by a concerned resident who said: “There has been some controversy regarding a housing scheme that is looking to knock down the Grace Arms. Well, I’m afraid there is another.

“Riverside Developments, based in Liverpool, are looking to buy Sycamore Garden Centre.

“Considering there are many plots of empty land across the town that would make more sense for affordable housing, it begs the question why they would want to chose this site?”

He urged ‘as many people as possible to lodge their objections officially’ and added: “Please also make your feeling known to our local MP Justin Madders who I know is unhappy with the proposal for the Grace Arms and would, hopefully, be equally unhappy with this proposal.”

Wirral-based agents Paddock Johnson Partnership argue the design of the 38 two, three and four-bed houses and 14 two-bed flats will offer the ‘obvious benefits of new affordable housing for the community’.

At The Sutton pub, formerly the Marquis, on Gleneagles Road in Great Sutton revised plans have been submitted which would see the loss of the vacant 1970s pub.

Wigan based applicant and agent Dan Anders for Sutton Ellesmere Port Ltd is seeking approval for the demolition of the pub and for five one bed bungalows and 14 one bed apartments.

Previous plans to convert and extend the pub to provide 15 flats for supported living led to concerns locally with claims ‘very little’ information had been provided with regards to who would be living at the property with 65 objections and a petition with well over 100 names. All three applications are with borough planners.