Fresh opposition to revised Ludlow homes plan

Controversial plans to build on the field by The Linney, a road that runs along and below Ludlow's medieval town walls and castle, have been revised by developers in a bid to make sure views of the hills beyond are not blocked out.

But now conservation officers at Shropshire Council have said the two large seven-bedroom detached houses in the new plan would still be "harmful" to the character of the site, and views of what is a conservation area and popular walking spot.

Ludlow Town Council and Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North, have also objected to the new plans.

The move is a blow for developers McCartneys after new designs, by architects Trevor Hewett, were submitted in July to address such objections.

The houses were redesigned in an "arts and crafts" style and placed further apart, without fences and trees between, to allow views from The Linney and St Leonard's Gate towards the meadows of the River Teme, Mortimer Forest and surrounding hills, in what was hoped would be deemed a "harmonious addition to the varied architectural character of Linney".

But a statement from Shropshire Council's historic environment officer says: "Whilst the above revised elements of the scheme are acknowledged, the impact of the development will still clearly be harmful to the open character of the site.

"The positioning and overall scale of the units are such that they will still significantly impact on the views through the conservation area.

"In this regard it is difficult to argue that this development in its current form would preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area."

Gina Wilding, clerk of Ludlow Town Council said members had objected to the development on the grounds it had received lots of objections, and the land was not designated for building in Shropshire Council's five-year plan.