Developers want to double size of Shrewsbury sheltered apartments scheme

Shrewsbury Drapers Holy Cross and Morris Property want to build 25 sheltered apartments and a further 27 open market apartments alongside them at the back of almshouses in Abbey Foregate.

It comes despite plans being approved in November 2010 for 21 apartments to be built on the site – an application which at the time attracted 27 objections.

The two parties also want to make changes to how the properties are accessed in the new application, which has been submitted to Shropshire Council.

Statement

A design and access statement in support of the changes said Morris Property was brought on board with the project in 2012 after it went out to tender.

"In the course of negotiations it firstly became clear that the mix of one and two-bed apartments previously envisaged was not suitable for present day demand and, at that stage, some minor amendments to the approved scheme were envisaged," it said.

"Subsequently, Morris & Company suggested that access to the site could be achieved through an area in their ownership which lies to the east of the almshouses land, the old Farr and Harris site presently used as a car park.

"This had potential to greatly improve the traffic situation by removing the access from the narrow and congested Railway Terrace to the more convenient Horsefair. This alteration forced some fundamental rethinking of the original approved design."

In 2010, the plans for the almshouses were for 11 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom units. The new proposals would provide 21 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units.

The open market apartments would be made up of two-bedroom properties.