A PRIMARY school has been given permission to replace its exterior wall and railings.

This is despite an objection stating that doing so would ‘detract from the Victorian heritage’ of the area, as well as raising issues surrounding rodents.

Warrington Borough Council’s planning department has given the go-ahead to Beamont Primary School for the demolition of the existing wall and railings and the erection of new metal fencing adjacent to the road.

The existing brick wall to the Orford school wraps around the corner on Garner Street and then stretches along up to the boundary with the Sunshine Children’s Centre, beyond the north eastern corner of the site which continues along O’Leary Street.

The 2.4metre high metal mesh fencing would replace the majority of the wall except for a small section.

Documents submitted as part of the application state that the brick wall is in poor condition and structurally compromised due to the proximity of trees growing nearby.

Reports suggest that to repair and retain the wall would compromise the retention of these trees, which hold some memorial value to the school.

The replacement of the wall with fencing would better allow for the retention of these trees, plans add.

One letter of objection was received to the plans, and this states: “The existing fence captures a large amount of litter, and this is never cleaned by the school and has resulted in a rat infestation.

“The council should be minded to maintain the Victorian heritage of the area and repair the existing boundary wall, rather than resorting to a metal fence which is completely out of keeping with the school architecture.

“As the school’s closest neighbour and the person who shares a direct boundary I object to this plan in the strongest possible terms.”

However, in approving the scheme, the council said: “On the basis of the above assessment, the principle of development is acceptable.

“It is considered that the proposed development at the application site accords with the relevant planning policies.”