Homes plan for Shrewsbury holiday cottages under fire

The remarks were made at a central planning committee meeting at Shirehall on Thursday when Shropshire Council members voted to defer plans to change two holiday let properties into homes in Red Barn Lane, Shrewsbury.

Applicants submitted the proposal despite admitting the occupancy rates for the holiday lets currently exceeded 80 per cent.

Both homes, which are currently holiday cottages, would provide semi-detached two-bed accommodation with car parking spaces at the end of a shared driveway.

But Shrewsbury Town Council objected to the proposal and after fears were raised about more vehicles using the lane to access the site, the matter was deferred for officers to compile another more detailed report.

Miles Kenny, Shropshire councillor for Underdale, said: "The access is appalling. We had difficulty getting up there on our site visit and it's very narrow.

"But what is going to happen is you will lose another business from this town which will have a knock-on-effect to other businesses doing the maintenance of the holiday cottages for example."

Former mayor, Councillor Tony Durnell, said: "We've been trying to make Shrewsbury a destination and not a town that you bypass on your way to somewhere else."

Councillor Tudor Bebb added: "If the occupancy rate is 80 per cent then it's a viable business and I would be looking for some explanation from the applicants for their reasons for submitting this plan."

But John Everall, councillor for Tern, said: "It depends on the number of weeks they are counting as occupied. Is it open for 12 months of the year or nine?"