Housing plan for ex-court shelved

Controversial plans to demolish Shifnal’s derelict magistrates court have been temporarily withdrawn.

Shifnal Town Council had been bidding to bulldoze the Shrewsbury Road building with a view to selling the land for low-cost rented housing.

But this sparked a massive outcry from townspeople, who organised a 1,000- signature petition calling for the building to be saved.

Bridgnorth District Council also received dozens of letters from people voicing their concerns.

The building was bought by the town council about 10 years ago, but efforts to secure external funding to bring it back into use were unsuccessful.

It was originally used as a Baptist chapel before being converted into a court in the 1940s. It was superseded by Telford Magistrates Court in 1986.

Petition organiser Dawn Bithell, of Shifnal, said: “I am very grateful to everybody who signed the petition. It’s wonderful to feel such a sense of community.

“I don’t expect this will be the last we hear of it and hope my fellow residents will continue to support any future campaign needed to safeguard the site.”

Shifnal council clerk Peter Hurlstone confirmed the application’s withdrawal but said a fresh one would be submitted in the coming weeks.

“We’ve taken the opportunity to get additional information about the ground conditions to show the building is totally unstable,” he said.