A MUCH-LOVED nursery in Chester is to be bulldozed and replaced with seven houses barely six months after it closed its doors.

Parents were shocked when Pipers Day Nursery on Alder Grove, Hoole, suddenly announced it was shutting down in July last year.

Its owner said it had no choice but to close due to decreasing child numbers and a reduction in local government funding.

Mum-of-two Elizabeth Watson spoke for many when she told the Standard at the time: “This genuine nursery with its loving staff felt like my boys’ extended family.

“This last month has been bleak and I, like many parents, could never have expected to be in the position of searching for a new nursery. We are devastated.”

It had been hoped that the facility – which was formerly rated as ‘Outstanding’ by education watchdog Ofsted – could be retained as a community hub.

But members of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee yesterday (Thursday, January 24) voted 9-1 in favour of allowing the housing development.

Chester and District Standard:

Pipers Day Nursery had been classed as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted.

It will see two pairs of semi-detached homes and a three-home terrace built on the site, located in the Groves housing estate.

During the meeting, the committee heard that the 1960s ‘prefab’ nursery building was no longer fit for any use and needed to be demolished.

But Cllr Gill Watson (Labour) took issue with this, saying the site owner had been quick to sell the land for housing and no surveys had been carried out before the nursery closed.

In a statement read in her absence by Cllr Richard Beacham, she said: “I find the idea that this building is not capable of continuous community use as somewhat disingenuous.”

She described the nursery as the “one bright star” on the estate, adding: “Pipers has delivered child care services in this part of Hoole for over 28 years and is highly valued by the community.”

A total of 21 objections to the application were sent to the council by concerned residents.

While sympathising with them, the majority of councillors agreed that the building was not fit for purpose and there was no reason to refuse the proposals under planning law.

It was said that there are enough spaces in existing nurseries in Hoole to accommodate youngsters who attended Pipers.

The plans had been recommended for approval by the council’s planning team. Work will have to start on the site within three years.