Appeal over plans to turn former Shrewsbury public toilets into a home with a solarium is dismissed

The applicant was proposing the existing toilet block on the ground floor would be eventually turned into a garage, with living accommodation built in a first-floor extension and an amenity area provided in the form of a solarium and roof terrace on the second.

The plans were eventually given the go-ahead by Shropshire Council but under the condition that the ground floor not be used - nor at any time be converted into - garaging for vehicles. 

It was deemed by the planning officer that the condition was required "in the interests of highway safety".

But the applicant, Mr Shanklin, lodged an appeal with the Government Planning Inspectorate over the condition, arguing that such safety concerns could be addressed.

Now, the Government inspector has ruled the condition should be retained and the appeal dismissed, after finding that it is "necessary and reasonable in the interests of highway safety".

In their report, inspector Elaine Moulton wrote: "The front elevation of the appeal building, where the vehicular entrance would be located, is set back a short distance from the front elevation of a three-storey property, the Masala restaurant, to which it is attached.

"The side elevation of the Masala would closely flank the access point on one side and extend up to the carriageway of St Julian’s Friars. In such a position it would significantly restrict the visibility of drivers on exit from the appeal building.

"St Julian’s Friars is a busy pedestrianised route and that pedestrians moving along it in a southerly direction, before turning right towards St Julian Friars car park and Greyfriars bridge, walk very close to the Masala. In such a position the pedestrians are unlikely to see a vehicle exiting the building in advance of it joining the carriageway, and any driver exiting the building would have limited forewarning of such pedestrians.

"This would make it extremely challenging for the driver and pedestrians to anticipate each other’s movements and stop as appropriate. Consequently, whilst vehicles emerging from the building would occur infrequently and would be moving at a slow speed, the impediment to visibility is likely to result in conflict between such vehicles and other users of St Julian’s Friars, in particular pedestrians, to the detriment of highway safety.

"I do not doubt that the installation of a convex mirror would assist visibility to some extent. Nonetheless, I am not convinced that it is appropriate to rely on what is in effect a demountable aid which can be adversely impacted, and become less effective, due to frost, glare from sunlight and vehicle headlights, and if dirty."

The inspector concluded that it would be "unsafe" for the building to be used as a garage, adding: "I acknowledge that the use of the ground floor as a garage would increase the likelihood the building would be brought back into use. Such factors do not, however, outweigh the harm I have identified."