Ludlow St Laurence's Church homes plan backed

Controversial plans to build five luxury homes in the shadow of an 800-year-old Shropshire church which sparked more than 250 objections have been approved by county planners.

The homes behind 9-10 King Street, Ludlow, next to St Laurence's Church, got the go-ahead by just one vote at a heated meeting of Shropshire Council's strategic planning committee yesterday.

And work could start on site as early as summer, says developer Andrew Sheldon of St Laurence Homes.

More than 120 people packed into Ludlow Assembly Rooms for the meeting, while a further 30 had to listen through speakers on the stairs in the corridor.

The plans had been rejected by Shropshire Council's south planning committee on January 26 before the issue was referred to the strategic committee.

But councillors yesterday overturned the decision, claiming the principle of developing homes had already been set by an independent planning inspector assessing a previous, similar application for the site during a public inquiry in 2006.

The move was welcomed by Mr Sheldon. But campaigners, including members of St Laurence's Parochial Church Committee, Ludlow Civic Society and Ludlow Town Council, have pledged to meet over the next few days to decide their next move.

It has been claimed the development could damage the church's foundations and potentially disturb graves.

Jeffrey Wilcox, speaking on behalf of Ludlow Town Council at the meeting, said: "Ludlow is a gem that draws in thousands of people from across the world. Councillors should consider the impact of their decision on Ludlow and the legacy it will leave to future generations."

But Councillor Mansel Williams, sitting on the strategic planning committee, said he believed councillors had no option but to approve as the inspector had already made an "ultimate judgment" on the site.

By Peter Kitchen