Plans to convert the historic Churche's Mansion in Nantwich into a family home have been refused.

Permission was sought to change the use of the Elizabethan building from a restaurant to a single-family dwelling.

But Cheshire East planners said the proposal was not sufficiently detailed or cumulatively appropriate to enable a full assessment of harm to be made.

The scheme was refused on the grounds of having the potential to cause harm to the significance and very special character of the grade-one listed building.

A separate application to transform the modern outbuildings behind Churche's Mansion on Hospital Street into seven studio apartments was also refused.

Churche's Mansion is a merchant's house built in 1577.

It is one of the few surviving timber-framed buildings in Nantwich to escape the devastating fire of 1583.

The planning officer's report states: "The central principal section of the building remains hardly altered and retains much of its historic fabric such as timber panelling and floorboards and the building was sensitively restored in the 20th century.

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"As such, the building possesses exceptional architectural and historic significance and is highly sensitive to change."

The report says Historic England and the council's heritage officer raised ongoing concerns with the proposals for both the 'mansion scheme' and the 'apartment scheme'.

Both proposals, together with the associated listed building applications, were refused by council planning officers under delegated authority.

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