PROPOSALS submitted to make alterations to a bank which closed in recent months have been approved.

The application relates to the former NatWest bank branch building on London Road in Stockton Heath.

The bank closed its doors to customers for the final time on September 6, and it has since been listed for sale.

An application had been submitted to Warrington Borough Council’s planning department for the removal of all external NatWest signage and marketing.

The plans also aimed to remove the cash machines and fill in the holes in the wall to match the existing façade, and they have now been approved.

In addition, applicant Royal Bank of Scotland wished to cover up the night safe, with other internal alterations proposed.

These are the removal of internal marketing units, loose furniture, counters, internal ATM and self-service machines, as well as a deep clean and tidy throughout.

It was confirmed in May that NatWest, the last bank in Stockton Heath, would shut this year.

Customers were sent letters regarding the move, joining Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC to leave the area in recent years, leaving no bank for residents to use.

NatWest announced that it would be closing some branches due to the ‘dramatic’ change in the way that people bank.

According to the chain’s website, in Stockton Heath between 2017 and 2019, counter transactions for personal customers decreased by 9 per cent.

NatWest also revealed that the branch was used by 21 personal customers on a regular basis in 2019 and 115 business customers on a regular basis.

And in 2019, 61 per cent of customers who use the branch were also using online banking on the mobile app.

The firm claimed that closing a branch is ‘always a difficult’ and not a decision that is ever ‘taken lightly’.

The closure means that the nearest branch for Stockton Heath residents will be on Sankey Street, followed by the one on Widnes Road in Widnes.

NatWest’s website reads: “The way people bank with us has changed dramatically in recent years, with an increased demand for mobile and online services as customers benefit from a faster and easier way to bank.

“Closing a branch is a decision we take very seriously.

“We know it can affect people who are less confident with the alternatives we offer, and we will always work hard to guide you through the changes and find the best way to serve you from now on.”