COUNCILLORS are expected to approve a plan to build 66 houses on the site of a school in Birchwood.

Proposals to build 26 three-bedroom and 40 two-bedroom houses on the site of St Oliver Plunkett Catholic Primary School on Admirals Road, which closed in 2003, are due to come before Warrington Borough Council's development management committee meeting at the Town Hall tomorrow night.

Councillors have been recommended to approve the scheme, by Wigan-based MCI Development, despite the objections of Birchwood Town Council.

A decision on whether to grant planning permission has already been deferred twice by the committee as it considered whether a pedestrian crossing was needed on Admirals Road as part of the development.

Birchwood Town Council's objection said: "As Admirals Road is a main thoroughfare used by the community to access both the shopping centre and local school members remain adamant that some form of pedestrian crossing needs to be installed."

Warrington Borough Council's highways department however believes that there is no need for a crossing on Admirals Road, with visibility on the street described as 'good' while 'ample' gaps in the traffic flow at peak times were observed.

Two letters of objection from members of the public have been received in relation to the plans for the 1.75 hectare site, which also includes a play area.

The development management committee are also expected to approve applications relating to the new Mersey crossing bridge between Slutchers Lane and Chester Road, a replacement building for a nursery on Kay Lane in Lymm and a car park for the Rock Oil site at Priestley Street in Whitecross.