Shrewsbury retirement flats bid changed after pleas

McCarthy & Stone wants to build 32 apartments – down from the original proposal of 35 – in Wenlock Road as part of their latest development in the town.

But, after the plans attracted multiple objections, the applicants have now submitted revised plans to Shropshire Council in an attempt to get permission to start building.

Other changes in the new plans include an extra parking spaces, making it 30 in total, also meaning car parking provision would cover 93 per cent of the development compared to the previous 80 per cent. TUnder the new plans the development will also appear as three individually linked pavilion buildings which will feature bay windows, low level canopies and feature chimneys.

Darren Humphreys, regional managing director at McCarthy & Stone said: "We have carefully reconsidered our original plans.

"This has resulted in significant design alterations, including reducing the number of apartments proposed, which has reduced the overall mass and height of the new building while increasing the car parking provision.

"We've strived to introduce a scheme and design that positively responds to and respects the character and the appearance of the local area.

"Our revised design ensures our proposal will positively respond to local distinctiveness, while improving the range of housing choices available to local people in later life."

If approved, the house currently on the site would be demolished to make way for the new buildings.

In a design and access statement submitted in the planning application, it is said the current average age of residents in McCarthy & Stone developments is 78.

A petition against the plans also gathered more than 100 signatures. Petitioners voiced concerns over the appearance of the building, the impact on traffic and the lack of parking spaces.

Paul Basham, transport consultant for McCarthy & Stone, moved to allay any traffic and parking concerns about the plans.

Responding to points raised by highways consultants Mouchel in an earlier report, he said: "The data and the methodology to apply it to the site has been deemed acceptable by almost every planning and highway authority across the UK, for over 200 applications for Retirement Living schemes.

"McCarthy & Stone have been selling the retirement living product for many years and it is clearly in their own commercial interests that the parking areas operate satisfactorily.

"Residents of retirement living schemes undertake significantly less trips per day than residents of regular residential developments, as they do not travel to work or transport children to school.

"McCarthy & Stone have been operating this type of retirement living for over 40 years and therefore have extensive experience in the requirements of such developments, including the level of parking needed."

The revised plans will go before Shropshire Council's planning committee at a future date.