Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Dana Prison plans 'will not hit car parking'

A transport report from developers behind plans to transform Shrewsbury's Dana Prison concludes the site will have "minimal" impact on surrounding areas.

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The report, completed by IMA Transport Planning, has been submitted as part of the planning application to renovate the former prison – expected to be considered by Shropshire Council's Central Planning Committee next month.

It comes after concerns from residents over the impact on parking and nearby roads. Shropshire Council's highways department had also initially said it could not support the application and called for parking to be placed within the existing site.

The department called for a "more robust transport assessment undertaken," resulting in the current report submitted to the authority.

The Trevor Osborne Group, which is behind plans to renovate the prison, intends to create a mixed use site with student accommodation, flats, a gym, and a walled garden.

The latest report claims that the development will require fewer parking spaces than when the prison was in operation.

It states that the re-development of the site will "have a lesser demand for on-street parking than when the prison was fully operational on site. The prison had a demand for at least 100 to 130 vehicles in the local car parks and surrounding streets."

The report also states that no students will be resident at the building until at least September 2019.

Parking has been the main concern from Shropshire Council's highways department with the development having a peak parking number of 30 residents' vehicles and 33 vehicles visiting the gym at any one time.

The report outlines measures planned to deal with the effects.

It states: "The developer proposes to provide 12 spaces under the new build element of the residential accommodation around the old Lancastrian School. This would have access from Beacall's Lane. A further 22 residents vehicles would be accommodated in the car park opposite the gatehouse.

"This gives a total of 34 residents spaces, to which can be added three disabled spaces and two short stay/drop off spaces within the compound. Thus the residents parking requirement is completely catered for within the footprint and confines of the development."

The report says that the gym will direct customers to the nearby pay and display car park on Howard Street where it is intended to offer a discount for parking.

Other measures highlighted in the assessment are the possibility for the Trevor Osborne Group to contribute towards the setting up of a residents' parking scheme for the area, and the creation of a new access for some homes.

It states: "The developer is willing to offer financial assistance towards the setting up of a residents parking scheme for the area, and is aware that residents of the development will be excluded from access to such a scheme. This will be an offer rather than a condition upon the planning application, and thus will not be forced on existing residents, nor will the development be liable if local residents refuse to take the offer up.

"If residents on the west side of Albert Street are in agreement, and willing to release the part of their garden closest to the prison wall, the developer is also willing to discuss facilitating a rear access lane to these properties that would then allow parking in their own rear gardens, giving them security of car parking with their own private shared access to it."

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