PLANS to build 54 apartments around a school in Heaton have been approved by council planning chiefs.

Contractor P.E. Jones Ltd have been given the green light by Bolton Planning Committee to convert an existing school house at Clevelands School, on Chorley New Road into six apartments.

The plans also include five three-storey blocks of 48 apartments which will be built around the grounds of school, and there will also be parking spaces provided. The existing access from Chorley New Road will be closed off and the driveway for nearby Greenmount House will be extended into the site.

The building firm changed their original proposal - after its initial application was turned down - to ensure that more trees would be retained in the conservation area.

The original proposals had been rejected by planning chiefs in May last year on the grounds of tree loss and access. Five residents who lived near the school had objected to the plans.

The building firm changed their original proposal to ensure that more trees would be retained in the conservation area.

Councillors overwhelmingly voted in favour of the scheme to be given the go ahead.