ELLESMERE'S former railway station could soon be converted to apartments after plans were approved.

The station, based in Brownlow Road, last operated in the 1960s, and was one of those to close under the Beeching cuts.

The building has remained empty ever since, and lies on derelict ground.

But plans have now been approved to convert the building into seven flats.

As the building is listed, a number of conditions have been imposed to ensure the character of the building remains and a schedule of works has been drawn up.

In her approval report, Tracy Darke, assistant director of economy and place, said: "All new external and internal work and finishes, and work of making good shall match existing original work except where indicated otherwise on the drawings hereby approved.

"All new partitions and other elements of construction shall be scribed around historic and architectural features and shall not cut through such features."

Local resident, Peter Roth, objected to the plans and the potential population boost to the town.

He said: "Myself and my wife oppose this application in the strongest possible terms.

"It ridiculous to build that number of extra dwellings in Ellesmere there is not the infrastructure for that amount of building.

"The schools are overloaded, the medical practice cannot cope with the present numbers, public transport is almost non-existent, the access roads are not good enough for the amount of extra traffic it will create."