Congleton Town Councillors have welcomed a planning application from East Cheshire NHS Trust seeking permission to 'demolish an existing generator housing and construct a new standby generator housing and associated external fuel tank' for the War Memorial Hospital on Canal Road.

The planning application was submitted to Cheshire East at the end of April. Congleton's Cheshire East Councillors have been sent a copy of the application – which is listed on the Cheshire East website planning portal – 20/1760c.

Unless the application is called in by Cheshire East Ward Councillors, it will be determined by planning officers through delegated powers.

Cllr Paul Duffy, Chair of the Congleton Town Council Planning Committee, said: "In many ways this is an unremarkable planning application.

"It is for a single storey, 6m by 5m brick enclosure with a tiled pitched roof which will be used to provide emergency power in the event of a mains failure at the hospital.

"What is very welcome is that the NHS is investing in the future of Congleton's War Memorial Hospital and is committed to making this improvement. We hope this is the start of further improvements to come."

Cheshire East Council has until the 23rd June to make a decision on the application and local residents have until the 20th May to make any comments.