Town councillors in Shifnal are looking for answers after being refused permission to build over the town’s magistrates court – for the third time.

The town council applied for permission to get rid of the 166-year-old building to make way for two homes and two flats but Shropshire Council turned them down.

At last week’s meeting of Shifnal Town Council, members said they wanted answers from the county council’s planning department.

And they said they were going to write a letter of complaint to the chief executive.

According to councillors, the architect for Shifnal Town Council met with Mike Clough, planning officer at Shropshire Council, on three occasions to amend the plans in an attempt to get them passed, but each time he recommended them for refusal.

Les Jones, speaking at the meeting before he stepped down as town mayor and a councillor, said: “Our architect has sat down with the planning officer and three times he has agreed to change the plans and every time he has refused it.

“We ought to appeal because the cost will go to Shropshire Council.”

Councillor Tom Jones said: “This has gone on a long time and the public are fed up. I think we need to make a decision on what we are going to do with it.”

He added: “Let’s make a decision in the next few weeks.”

Councillor Gerald Nickless said: “We do everything he (Mr Clough) tells us to do. I know people are saying we have done nothing about it but we have had a stubborn planning officer.”

Councillors agreed to write to the chief executive complaining about Mr Clough and get a cost to survey the building, should they decide to salvage it.

Shropshire Council was unavailable for comment today.

In a previous statement Mr Clough said there was strong opposition to demolishing the old court and that the proposals would have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the area.

By Jason Lavan