Councillors oppose retirement homes plan for historic Bridgnorth site
Controversial plans for 55 retirement flats on the site of one of Bridgnorth's historic buildings have been formally opposed by the town council's planning committee.
Bridgnorth Town Council's planning committee voted to recommend refusal for the planned homes in Innage Lane during a recent meeting.
Councillors cited concerns over parking and the "overbearing" nature of the planned development.
An officer for Shropshire Council turned down the application from Churchill Retirement Living in October last year.
But an appeal was lodged against the decision and a planning inspector is now expected to make a ruling in the upcoming months.
The historic building on the site, Innage Lea, was targeted by arsonists in December last year.
It is expected that the town council will now write to the Planning Inspectorate to put across its concerns ahead of any public inquiry.
Speaking at the council's planning committee meeting on Tuesday night, chairman Councillor James Gittins said more retirement homes were not needed in the town and the site would be better used for affordable housing.
He said: "It's in the wrong place."
Councillor Vanessa Voysey also raised concerns about parking.
She said: "Just for the fact they have half the number of parking spaces needed, I'm going to have to say no.
"It's the imposing nature of the building. The development is quite large compared to what is there.
"I suggest that we reject this."
Councillor David Cooper added: "We have concerns over parking and the revised plans do not address the overbearing nature of the development."
Councillor Cooper is also a committee member of Bridgnorth Civic Society, which launched a campaign to fight the development before it was refused.
He previously said a barn on the site dates back to 1800 and is potentially medieval.
Mr Cooper said Innage Lea can be traced back to between 1830 and 1880, and it was originally the Apley Estate and the surveyor who lived there.
The conservation team at Shropshire Council investigated the buildings to see whether they could be listed as being nationally significant.
However, while they were felt not to merit the status, the buildings were still of regional significance and worth preserving.
Concerns were also raised about the scale and design of the proposed buildings on the site, which is close to two conservation areas.
Developers amended their designs to reduce the number of apartments, and make the buildings smaller, but planning officers at Shropshire Council decided the scheme was still not acceptable.
Andrew Burgess, director of planning issues at the retirement homes, said back in October that they would appeal the council's decision.
He said the retirement homes were much-needed in the town.
