WINTERS promise to be warmer for children at Ashton-under-Hill First School and residents who use the village hall.

Worcestershire County Council's planning and regulatory committee gave the go-ahead to demolish an existing store and put up a new boiler house, oil tank store and toy store extension at the combined school and village hall.

The new oil-fired system is designed to replace the existing electrical heating system in the school and hall.

The site is in the Conservation Area but there were no objections from Wychavon District Council, the Highways Partnership or environmental health officers.

There objections from two neighbours who said they were worried about noise and smell and concerned that the boiler house flue would be clearly visible.

Mark Bishop, who prepared the report for the committee, said: "The flue would have a limited prominence within the street scene," and added: "The requirement to provide essential facilities at the school and village hall outweighs the residents' concerns of any adverse visual impact."

He pointed out that environmental health officers said the boiler would not be a problem in terms of noise and smell.