Shropshire Star

Two houses planned for Ludlow town centre

Two homes are hoped to be built on vacant land in the centre of a county town.

Published

A planning application has been submitted to build two "mews style" homes behind shops in Ludlow's Bull Ring, at the centre of the town's main shopping area.

The application is for a patch of land that was once the garden of 18 Bull Ring.

The area has now been covered with a concrete base as it was earmarked for a three-bedroom family home, but that will no longer go ahead and the land has been sold on artisan leather worker Matt Fothergill, who runs a shop and workshop on Bull Ring.

A report by Gareth Davies of consultants Inklines Ltd, says: "The previous owner of the land at the rear of the site obtained permission for one dwelling which was won on appeal.

"However, the applicant wishes to change the scheme to allow two semi-detached ‘mews’ units to be built off the existing foundations."

Mr Davies said Shropshire Council planning officers originally concluded a single house should not be allowed on the site and suggested a "mews style" row of smaller dwellings would be more appropriate for the location, but the plans for a single house were granted on an appeal to the planning inspector.

Now Mr Fothergill wanted to return to the idea of two smaller two-bedroom mews houses.

"The applicant would like to construct the build himself and then rent out the dwellings on the open market. It is felt that small units such as this will let out well to young professionals within the town.

"This form is also more appropriate to this small plot," Mr Davies' report said.

"The site will still have small amenity areas around each unit which will allow small garden, pedestrian access and patio area," he said.

"The town centre of Ludlow has a number of significant historic buildings and the proposed design has attempted to reflect this type of design by the use of an upper story in exposed timber frame with lime plaster infill panels and the use of the hand made Ludlow blend brick.

"Each gable end will have a masonry chimney on the outside of the building," he added.

The application has yet to be decided upon by council planners.