Inspector stubs out Wellington nursing home’s smoking shelter plan
A Wellington nursing home’s plan for a prefabricated smoking shelter for residents has been stubbed out by a planning inspector.
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The Priory Nursing Home, in Spring Hill, appealed to the Planning Inspectorate after Telford & Wrekin Council rejected the proposal.
Yesterday (May 20, 2025) the Government agency announced that it has dismissed the appeal over the impact that the prefabricated, hemispherical outbuilding would have on its historic setting.
It would have had a timber frame infilled with metal panelling and glazing.
The inspector ruled that the “former mansion house retains its elegance and grandiosity”. The 19th century building, and its front lawn “remain prominent and important features on site.”
And as the shelter would “sit on the front lawn… opposite the main entrance” he thought the impact on the building and its setting would be ‘jarring.”
Inspector P Brennan visited the site on April 29 and it took less than two weeks to issue the decision.
“I understand the functional need to provide a safe and compliant smoking outbuilding for staff and residents that addresses safety concerns including accessibility and proximity to the building,” the inspector said.
“However, these are personal circumstances that do not outweigh the moderate harm, based on its siting and design, to the setting of the non designated heritage asset.
“This would erode its significance which would diminish this irreplaceable resource.”
The inspector added that it “would be a jarringly, incongruous feature, that would not respond positively to its context.”
They also added that the former mansion house building’s significace would have been eroded “which would diminish this irreplaceable resource.”
At an earlier stage in the planning process Telford & Wrekin Council’s planners had been told that the outbuilding would provide a ” much requested smoking facilities for the nursing home residents.”
