Huge Station Quarter for Telford development containing hotel and 189 homes set for approval

The plan, made up of a six-storey hotel and 189 homes – including a six-storey block of flats – along with a Digital Skills & Enterprise Hub, will be discussed by Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee next week.

The scheme would be built on land between Telford Town Centre and the nearby railway station – with aspirations to connect the two.

Plans for the 5.91 hectares of land – which includes the now derelict site at Boyd House and Reynolds House – are set to include serviced office accommodation, commercial units and flexible retail including leisure, food and drink outlets.

Telford & Wrekin Council has submitted the planning application, which will be considered by its own councillors at Southwater Library next Wednesday night.

The council’s planning officers have recommended that the proposal is approved.

The development comes after the council secured more than £200 million of match-funding from the private sector to support the project, along with £22.3m from the central Government’s Towns Fund.

The apartments proposed include 62 one-bed and 53 two-bedroom homes, along with 38 two-bed and 36 three-bedroom townhouses.

The homes would be split between several plots with the biggest apartment building containing 84 flats and being six storeys high.

Two letters of objection were submitted against the scheme during the first round of consultation, both highlighting the size of the six-storey block of flats and lack of parking provision provided.

Last month National Highways submitted a ‘holding objection’ to the plans after asking for further documents after raising concerns including car parking numbers – extra documents have now been sent.

The 142-bedroom hotel would have 37 parking spaces, the digital skills hub will have 132 parking spots, each townhouse one parking space, with one space for each two apartments.

The education part of the hub is to be operated by Telford College and plans to accommodate 200 students aged 16 to 18 and 19 staff.

The Station Quarter planning document states that: “Polluting cars will be limited and discouraged whilst electric cars, cycling and walking will be promoted. A new vibrant and sustainable neighbourhood accessible to all, where people come to work, learn, live and relax.”

In response the Highways Authority said: “The application does not comply with the council’s adopted local plan standard for cycle and car parking. Nevertheless, the principle of this modal shift to sustainable travel (in a town centre location) is acceptable in principle subject to appropriate measures being set out within a detailed Travel Plan, implemented and monitored accordingly alongside the proposed conditions.”

The plans state that the first phase of building includes 117 homes and 72 (38 per cent) affordable properties, including affordable and shared ownership, which will be delivered through Homes England funding.

A planning document says: “The applicants envisage that Phase 1 will kick-start a new community which promotes the values of town centre living and increase demand for Phase 2 which will incorporate a mix of owner-occupied (open market) housing and further build-to-rent affordable tenures. It is expected that Phase 2 would meet the minimum requirements of 25 per cent affordable housing.”

As part of the plans there will be an obligation for a contribution towards primary and secondary school education for each two-bedroom home or larger.

A report, which has been prepared for the council’s planning committee ahead of the meeting, has recommended that full planning permission is approved.