‘Eyesore’ temporary building near historic Telford nursing home given retrospective planning permission

A Telford nursing home has been given retrospective planning permission to keep a temporary building on its site, despite objections.

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The Priory Nursing Home, in Spring Hill, Wellington, has had the modular welfare building on site since September 2024 prompting a ‘strong objection’ from a neighbour who called it an ‘eyesore.’

But council officials have now accepted its existence as a “one-off temporary measure” although the unit is “jarringly incongruous”.

The nursing home was advised by Telford & Wrekin Council to apply for temporary consent or it would remain in ‘non-compliance with an enforcement notice’.

Planning agents told council officials that the unit would be used for workers carrying out refurbishment, to avoid the need to go into the nursing home.

The agents said after October 31, 2026 it “will be removed and the land reinstated.”

It will be “used solely by contractors and site staff involved in the refurbishment works and will not be accessible to residents, visitors, or care home operational staff.”

Planners have been told that a separate portable toilet will be provided elsewhere on the site for the duration of the works.

Use of the building helps “segregate construction activity from residents, minimising disruption and safeguarding vulnerable occupants” and allows work to be managed in an “orderly and controlled manner.”

In their decision, planning officers noted that the plan follows a series of withdrawn or refused applications for structures on the site.

Built heritage officers consider that any further permanent extensions or detached structures would cause “harm to its architectural and historic character as a building of local interest and would not be acceptable.”

Officials conceded that ‘despite the somewhat more sensitive siting of this structure compared to previous proposals, it would nonetheless be jarringly incongruous due to its scale, design and materials, together with its presence in the wider streetscene.

“The existence of the unit onsite as a one-off temporary measure is however accepted, and given the reasoning for its requirement again being temporary in nature appreciating the neighbour's objection to the proposal, and provided it is removed ahead of the October 31, 2026 timeframe.

“On balance, given the temporary nature of the proposal the development is considered acceptable related to heritage matters.”