A NEW veterinary practice looks set to open in a former Northwich school house building.

Dr Emily Dutton, a specialist in veterinary cardiology, applied to Cheshire West and Chester Council for a certificate of lawfulness to change the use of the Old School House off Chester Road.

The building had been home to Castle Girls School, before it became an office and indeed its last use was as an office for cycling and walking holiday business Headwater.

Planning permission had also previously been granted to convert the building into three homes however this has not been implemented.

But work can now begin on converting the building into a veterinary practice after planning permission was granted.

A council officer report said: "There are no conditions restricting the use of the building to a particular class.

"This certificate of lawfulness application seeks confirmation the use of the existing office building for use as a veterinary practice is lawful.

"The lawful use of the building is Use Class E (g). With the proposed use of the building being as a veterinary practice (which is also Class E), the proposed use sits within the same use class as the existing.

"With this in mind, there is no material change of use. As such, the proposal is lawful and the application is therefore recommended for approval."