COUNCILLORS have unanimously approved plans for 12 new homes to be built on the site of the former Carmelite monastery in Eccleston.

At this evening’s planning committee meeting at the town hall, councillors voted in favour of the proposals.

Planning officer Melanie Hale recommended the proposals for approval.

The plans involved the demolition of all existing buildings except for the gate lodge, and the building of a dozen detached family houses, together with alterations to the boundary wall and the creation of new vehicle access of Howards Lane.

Some objections had been raised from nearby residents.

The site, currently vacant after the Carmelite nuns relocated in 2015, is bordered by roads on three sides - Houghtons Lane, Howards Lane and Green Lane. Located on the edge of a residential area, part of the site denotes the green belt boundary.

St Helens Council received eight letters of objection against the plans and two letters of support.

A council report said: "The majority of the objections submitted make reference to supporting the principle of re-use of the site for residential use but have other significant concerns."

Concerns include being overlooked if the new properties are built, losing privacy in gardens, traffic and visibility issues and ensuring trees and the bat population are protected.

There were also concerns over traffic and noise during construction.

The letter of support said: "The building of 12 new homes is absolutely supported on the defunct Carmelite Convent; it will add value to this area without interfering with the existing functionality of the borough. The alternative is an empty derelict buildings site, which will eventually attract undesirables."

The council report says the church component of the building has architectural as well as historical significance, and added the bidder looked at options for converting this, but it proved to be "inefficient and impractical".

It says the lodge is of historical significance as it helps to tell the story of the former institution and goes on: "The proposal is to keep the gate lodge and include it within one of the gardens of the new dwellings, effectively retaining it in a granny flat type use."

Full report to follow.