CONTROVERSIAL plans to demolish twentieth century buildings and construct 42 properties have been turned down by planning chiefs.

Cheshire West and Cheshire Council’s planning committee rejected The University of Law’s application for land at Christleton Hall during Thursday’s meeting.

The planning statement submitted with the application stated that the needs of the university have changed, with the majority of its courses now delivered online or on a part-time basis and, therefore, the need for a campus base is ‘no longer required’.

However, there is an extant approval for the relocation of the Law College to Chester city centre.

The application site is located within north Cheshire’s green belt and is currently occupied by Christleton Hall and associated buildings used for the purposes of Chester Law School.

Christleton Hall occupies the entrance to the site, a Grade II listed building which dates back to the eighteenth century.

The resubmitted proposals comprised building 14 apartments within the listed building, one replacement dwelling on the site of the existing caretaker’s house, 14 detached houses and 13 affordable properties.

But the scheme also included the demolition of a number of existing buildings, mainly late 20th century education buildings, as well as the conversion of Christleton Hall to 14 apartments.

Cllr Jill Houlbrook raised concerns during Thursday’s meeting.

She said: “It is a very busy road at the moment.

“It is in the green belt and whatever the applicant may say about changes, from unacceptable detrimental harm to substantial harm, it is in the green belt.

“We have refused this application before and I see absolutely no reason to approve it this time.

“As far as I can see, nothing has changed.”

More than 100 objections were received for both the planning application and the listed building application.

The planning committee refused the plans due to the proposals having an unacceptable detrimental impact on the green belt.