NEW plans have been submitted to convert a barn on farmland into a wedding venue.

The Warrington Guardian reported last year when initial proposals were drawn up seeking to turn a barn next to 'The Hayloft' on Sandy Lane Farm on Sandy Lane, Bold Heath into a wedding and ceremony venue were refused by St Helens Council.

Reasons cited for the original plans’ refusal included "harm" which would be caused to the green belt potential “detrimental impact on residential amenity because of undue noise and disturbance that may be caused”.

However, fresh plans have been drawn up and submitted to the local authority by applicant Emily Jones.

In a design and access statement, the plans state The Hayloft was opened in August 2017 as a "diversification venture" to support the farm business and was launched as a cafe and provides a venue which is open to the public and already used.

It adds: “The proposal seeks the conversion and change of use of a part of an existing barn which was approved for animal petting in to ceremonies for weddings.

“The building forms part of the overall grouping of buildings and will create a designated venue for both Wedding and Civil ceremonies”.

The applicant adds the new proposals “differ significantly from the previous planning application”.

The new application seeks conversion and change of use of a barn “for ceremony use only” and “not for wedding receptions which formed part of the previous application” and that receptions would continue to take place within the existing function room.

Plans add: “The key difference to this application is not to increase the amount of activity on the site by accommodating both weddings and general public to the café but to provide a ceremony space only”.

The application adds the “level of noise disturbance would not increase as a result of the proposals” and that a grant has been awarded to The Hayloft to enable the works “but would cover a smaller development”.

Plans add that during pumpkin picking festival “no weddings are to be held on site”.

Proposals conclude: “In summary, the scale and nature of the proposed engineering operation means that it will have not have a perceivable or significant spatial and visual impact on the openness of the Green Belt such that it would be harmful”.

The new application has sparked one letter of objection from a resident.

The plans are subject to public consultation until Tuesday.