TOWN Hall planning chiefs at Warrington have given the go ahead for a major extension to the town’s much-loved Walton Hall.
The rear extension will replace part of the building demolished 36 years ago and will follow the form and footprint of the original building.
Planners say it will not cause harm to the existing heritage asset and, in fact, will make a positive contribution to its appearance by removing existing scarring on the rear elevation and replacing the built form lost when the demolition took place.
Despite a large rear projection, the extension to the Grade 2 Listed Building will not cause harm as it will be predominantly screened from view, say the planners.
Local planners don’t have the final word, however.
Because the borough council owns Walton Hall, the scheme still has to be referred to the national Planning Casework Unit.
Walton Hall, originally the home of the Greenall brewery family, was purchased by the local authority in 1941 for £18,000.
It stood deteriorating for years while councillors argued about what to do with it. Some regarded it as a “Victorian monstrosity” while others believed it to be a historic asset. It re-opened in 1984 after a £300,000 facelift.
