STOCKTON Heath Post Office could become a restaurant and bar after a planning application was submitted to the council.

The applicant, Manchester Beer Limited, hopes to convert the ground and first floor of the London Road building into a bar, with an office and kitchen facilities on the top floor.

The planning documents say: “The alterations will allow the building to have a new lease of life and it will be a fully renovated both to the front and rear of the property.

“The proposal represents a re-use of a building within the townscape and street scene of Stockton Heath, allowing the town to benefit from a refurbished and trading premises that will provide employment benefits to the local community.

“Consideration has been given to achieving ‘good design’ and care has also been taken to respect the scale and character of the existing building, the street scene and the wider environment.”

The applicant also intends to replace the tile façade with reclaimed boards and install a new first floor window to give the building more natural light.

Although the plans say the existing post office will be relocated to another building in the Stockton Heath area, no further information is known yet.

Stockton Heath Parish Cllr Celia Jordan said: “It’s vital that we have a post office in the village and not lose another one. It would be very difficult if it was closed altogether.

“I understood the post office was moving across the road. We have many bars and the village is very vibrant at night, which is nice, but not at the expense of activity during the day.”

A Post Office spokesman said that no move has been reported to them at this stage but if a move is proposed in the future there will be a six-week public consultation.

The village post office was named as one of the luckiest shops in Warrington in 2013 after five lottery winners bought their winning tickets at the store.

A consultation period will run until July 7, the full application can be viewed at: planning.warrington.gov.uk.