'Affordable' apartment complex approved for site of surplus Shrewsbury NHS buildings

Applicant Keon Homes says that the Mytton Oak Road flats – which will sit alongside eight bungalows – will be let out as ‘affordable homes’, restricted to over-55s with identified care needs.

The facility will be managed by Shire Living who are part of The Wrekin Housing Group.

A Shropshire Council planning officer stated that the site is occupied by "redundant and vacant buildings that are surplus to the requirements of the NHS".

The previous use of the site was associated with medical and health care and utilised as office space rather than patient/clinical services.

However, the single-storey buildings have been ‘declared surplus to existing requirements’ and placed on the public surplus land register.

The three-storey apartment complex will include a lobby and reception area, bistro, tea bar and guest suites.

The proposal includes a mixture of private balconies, private terraces and ground floor patios, and two communal gardens.

A planning statement prepared by Evolve Planning and Design on behalf of the applicants says: “The emphasis on age restricted properties with access to care will assist older persons whose needs cannot be met within regular residential accommodation.

“All properties will be built to accessible and adaptable standards to assist in meeting the needs of an ageing population. These are clear social benefits.

“The provision of extra care accommodation will also contribute towards meeting the wider housing needs arising within Shropshire, contributing towards the council’s housing land supply and assisting in meeting the identified housing requirement.”

Shropshire Council’s affordable housing states that in Shrewsbury alone 163 households over the age of 55 years of age and who are currently reside in the town are seeking ‘alternative provision’ and of these 154 require one and two bedroomed homes.

The originally submitted plans were amended reducing the number of bungalows from 10 to eight to provide more parking spaces and open space.

The development provides 54 parking spaces (excluding ambulance drop off spaces).  There will also be ‘a raised table’ installed to help reduce speeds and assist pedestrians crossing the access road.

Shrewsbury Town Council raised no objection to the plan but said that it ‘would be preferable’ for the main building to be two-storey rather than three-storey.

Seven letters of objection were received by the council with fears raised that the three-storey building would overlook houses on Crowmeole Lane and would result in an ‘overbearing form’.

There was also concerns about an increase in traffic and that the home would add to parking problems in the area.

When approving the application, the council’s planning officer said that the scale and design of the development ‘is appropriate’.

“Concern has been raised regarding the potential for overlooking and a loss of privacy, loss of light and overbearing impact of the apartment building on existing properties to the north in Mytton Oak Road and to the east in Crowmeole Lane,” commented the planning officer.

“The apartment building will be over 40 metres from the boundary with the rear gardens of the nearest property in Crowmeole Lane, and bungalows are proposed along this eastern boundary. It is therefore considered that the development would have no adverse impact on these properties.”

The council’s highways officer raised no objection subject to a condition requiring the submission of a car parking management plan.

“Due to the proximity of the hospital and demand for street parking, a parking restriction on the access road proposed for adoption will be secured,” added the planning officer.

“The proposal would not result in the loss of significant trees, and compliance with the recommended tree, landscaping and ecology related conditions will secure improved soft and hard landscaping that will enhance the bio-diversity of the site.”