16 homes planned for site of Grade II-listed Shropshire cider mill on outskirts of village

Outline plans to build 16 new homes in West Felton near Oswestry were submitted to Shropshire Council last week.

The proposal, submitted by Oswestry-based Ifton Holdings Ltd, would see the homes built on a six-acre plot of agricultural land between Twyford Lane and Holyhead Road, to the north of the village.

The land was originally part of The Nursery estate, which was home to the pioneering arboriculturalist and garden designer, John Dovaston. After becoming derelict in the late 20th century, the house was torn down. 

Today, the land contains a Grade II-listed cider press near its centre - the only fully intact surviving building in the grounds of The Nursery. A Grade-II listed archway is also within the sites southern boundary.

The latest application is the second time an attempt to build homes on the site has been considered by the local authority. 

More than a decade ago, another outline application revealed plans to build 32 homes on the site, which was later reduced to 12. 

Despite the reduction in the number of homes, the plans were thrown out by Shropshire Council, which raised concerns over the impact on the character of the rural village and the loss of agricultural land.

Unhappy with the decision, the developers appealed the decision with the Government planning inspectorate.

Determining the appeal, Inspector Keith Manning found the plan would not harm the character or appearance of the area, but would be potentially damaging to the cider press and the appeal was dismissed. 

He wrote: "I am in no doubt that there would be harm to the significance of the cider press as a consequence of development within its essentially rural setting and whilst arguably this is likely, but not necessarily, to be less than substantial, there is insufficient information, analysis or commitment at this juncture to assess the degree of potential harm.

"The failure to clearly articulate and provide for the future of the cider press and its setting weighs heavily against the current proposal." 

But the latest application claims to have rectified that issue - and plans to use the former cider mill "as a garden store" for one of the homes. 

According to Historic England, the cider press dates back to the late 18th century, and is made of sandstone blocks and red brick with a slate roof.

The application states: "No structural interventions are proposed to the cider mill as part of this planning application and the siting of the building within Plot 8’s garden as a garden store will ensure it has a viable long-term use and its future is safeguarded." 

The Grade-II listed arch would also remain in-situ, within its present location on the boundary of the site. 

If the plans get the go-ahead, the new development would be made up of a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, three of which would be available as affordable homes.

The plans are available to view online, on Shropshire Council's planning portal, using reference number: 25/02295/OUT