Shropshire Star

Inspector to decide if historic Ironbridge wall can make way for electric vehicle charging point

A planning inspector will decide whether the historic boundary wall of a Grade II listed cottage in Ironbridge can be demolished to make way for a parking space with an electric vehicle charging point.

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Hodge Bower in Ironbridge. Picture: Google Maps

The applicants want to create an off-street gravelled car parking space in Hodge Bower – part of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site. The property is the ‘centre dwelling’ in a terrace of 18th century Grade II listed cottages.

In their design and planning statement submitted last year, the applicant states that the work is needed due to car parking becoming an ‘increasing problem’ and where possible most residents park adjacent to their properties.

“The highway in front of the application site is particularly narrow as a brick wall exists along the far side of the road preventing any scope for car parking parallel with the highway,” said the applicant’s planning and design statement.

“An important part of this application is the provision of an electric vehicle charging point. The applicant is environmentally aware of the fuel situation and drives an electric vehicle, but due the width constraints of the highway is unable to park the vehicle outside the property to charge it and has to recharge the vehicle at a remote location, which is far from ideal.”