Home-loss fear in cabins row

A Shropshire family of seven fear they could be made homeless after investing £300,000 to improve their village shop.Grandfather Dilbag Sidhu, his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three young children are living in portable buildings while High Ercall Stores is demolished and redeveloped.

But they face the threat of eviction from the double-decker cabins because they do not have planning permission.

Mr Sidhu, 60, won the go-ahead to bulldoze his old shop from Telford & Wrekin Council last August.

He intends to replace it with a store, newsagents and post office, hairdressing salon and flats for his family.

He won the backing of the parish council and a petition signed by 228 people.

Much of the existing building has been demolished, with the shop operating seven days a week from a small temporary base.

For the past two months, the four adults and three children aged five, four and two have been living in cabins next to the site.

Mr Sidhu said he had been given the impression he did not need planning permission for the temporary accommodation.

"But we were then told a villager had complained about being overlooked so we needed to apply for retrospective approval," he said.

"It cost me £1,500 to draw up the plans - and they've now been refused by planning officers."

Mr Sidhu said he hoped to appeal but had no idea where his family would live if they had to move out.

"There are no houses for rent in the village and it's important for us to live on site. Only last month, we disturbed burglars here."

Nick Turland, who lives opposite the shop, said: "They are a good, hard-working family who fit in well with the community and provide a valuable service. Most of us wholeheartedly support them."

Plans board chairman Councillor Ian Fletcher said planners supported the use of single-storey cabins as a temporary shop and storage.

"Following an objection to the upper-level cabin overlooking residential properties, the council deemed residential use unacceptable," he said.