Planned Shrewsbury winery creates a stir

Planning permission was granted last year for the scheme at Hencote Farm, off Ellesmere Road, Shrewsbury, but now the applicant has submitted revised plans regarding the road layout and maintenance building.

The proposal has attracted letters of complaint from a number of residents, the Campaign to Protect Rural England and a local ramblers group.

The ambitious plans, submitted by local landowner Andrew Stevens, will see the multi million pound winery, a visitor's centre, a processing building, a production building and a restaurant and events space, built on land at Cross Hill.

Investment in the scheme could hit between £4 million to £5 million and see 25 full time staff brought on to the vineyard which could increase to 60 posts seasonally.

Now the applicant wants to alter the road layout and reposition a building, but objectors claim the changes will be at the detriment of the area.

In a letter to Shropshire Council's planning department, CPRE said: "We have great concern. The Marches Way footpath passing straight through the land proposed for development will be dramatically affected by the change which will clearly be detrimental to the walkers and ramblers using the route.

"CPRE have always objected to the whole concept of the buildings associated with the winery and visitor's centre on the site.

"CPRE remain most unhappy with the development on this unspoilt landscape."

Resident Ben Jephcott said: "I object to this variation in the strongest possible terms. I believe the changes are not necessary and will dramatically increase the already appalling impact of the winery and visitor centre's parking area and new access road on the landscape.

"I also object most strongly to the location of the maintenance building, which did not appear in the application as approved. It will block the view south over Shrewsbury.

"The new route of the access road is higher up the slopes of Winnie Hill, with sections of it on an embankment and therefore clearly visible from below. This is completely unnecessary and will result in even more damage to the view of the hill from Ellesmere Road and from the south of the old river bed."

The Shrewsbury Ramblers group has also voiced concerns.

John Newnham, chairman of the group, said: "We have noted that this revised application also includes a new proposal to position a building close to the south side of Hencote Lane. The applicant must be aware that positioning his building at this particular spot would totally block out one of the best views from the lane.

"We feel that planning consent should be suspended pending either the removal or re-location of this building to a less detrimental site."