People power has saved a historic magistrates’ court building in Shropshire from the bulldozer. Plans to build four homes on the site in Shifnal were turned down by planners.

Residents had gathered 1,000 names on a petition to save it.

The plans were refused almost unanimously by members of Shropshire’s area regulatory planning committee in Bridgnorth.

Fresh calls have now been made to preserve the 166-year-old building and bring it back into community use.

David Murray, who spoke against the plans at the meeting, said residents would be delighted.

“This is one of the last remaining historic buildings in Shifnal and it is absolutely crucial that it is preserved,” he said.

“I would now urge the town council to fully investigate the possibilities of opening it up for community use. It could be multi-use because there is enough space. Drama groups could use it to rehearse, you could even look at making it into a cinema.”

The plans were refused despite a plea by Shifnal Town Council mayor Councillor Les Jones, who urged the committee to “let common sense prevail” and approve the move.

He said it was time for something to be done with the building, which was last used as a court in the mid-1980s.

Councillor Jones claimed the council had been forced to pass on to taxpayers a £200,000 bill to stop the building from collapsing and that it would cost up to four times that to refurbish it and bring it back to use.