BLUEPRINTS to build the 'transformational' Warrington West railway station were approved by planning chiefs last night, Thursday.

The £12 million scheme in Chapelford was debated at the Town Hall development management committee meeting before being given the green light for work to begin ahead of its 2017 opening.

The land is bounded between land west of Belvedere Drive and Detroit Close, south of Oklahoma Boulevard, as well as Boston Boulevard, and north of Sycamore Lane.

Residents who live close by were in attendance having put forward their fears during the consultation period.

But Cllr Faisal Rashid (LAB – Whittle Hall), who spoke in favour of the proposals, as well as highlighting issues mentioned to him, is assuring everyone in the area that concerns will be thoroughly considered throughout the project, which Network Rail will be managing.

"I am in favour of it but it was also important to raise concerns by the residents of Belvedere Drive and Detroit Close," he said.

"I also have to commend the work of the officers during the process so far – we should be proud of the quality of them as it is not an easy project."

The station has been promised since the housing development first started life in 2002 and will take passengers to Manchester and Liverpool.

It has been designed to accommodate 600,000 passengers by 2020 and 737,000 by 2040 and includes a car park for more than 250 vehicles.

There will also be a taxi rank and bus stops but developers say the plans will not affect the nearby Sankey station.

Cllr Rashid believes the delivery of the station will play a big part in improving the transport links for passengers across the region.

"It is a great asset for west Warrington and all the town will benefit," he added.

"Anyone living in Warrington can travel here easily and the parking will be a great benefit – this is a long-term project and we are looking as far as 30-40 years down the line.

"This will be a state of the art site and it will be transformational to the town.

"It will bring people from areas like Manchester and Liverpool here and it will be great for residents living here who need to travel out of the town to get to work."

The application was approved subject to an additional condition for the provision of a 2.1m high double boarded fence along the boundary with Belvedere Drive and subject to an additional plan showing traffic calming measures.

The committee also approved proposals for the construction of a temporary car park for up to 200 spaces to assist the Bridge Street Quarter development project.

The site will be developed on land between Bank Street, Academy Way and Academy Street.

Members passed the plans subject to a condition to ensure additional disabled and parent and child spaces will be provided.

Planners said the site would be 'instrumental' in helping to support economic growth to ensure the 'future vitality and viability' of the town centre.

The proposed use as a car park would be for a temporary period, following which, and subject to detailed approval, it would be partially replaced by a permanent building with an associated car park area.

In the interim period, the car park would make effective use of previously developed land, which would otherwise remain vacant.