Revised housing plan for derelict council offices approved

The demolition of a former council headquarters for housing has at last been given the green light after road safety concerns saw the plans re-drawn.

Approval for the development of 30 homes on the site of the derelict Westgate building in Bridgnorth, once the base of Bridgnorth District Council, comes two years after the refusal of the earlier scheme.

The main cause for concern had been the inclusion of seven driveways with direct access off Ludlow Road, which members of Shropshire Council’s southern planning committee said would see cars dangerously reversing out into oncoming traffic.

Going against planning officers’ recommendation of approval, councillors voted to refuse the plans – a decision which was ultimately backed up by the Planning Inspectorate following an appeal hearing.

As a result, housing association Homes Plus went back to the drawing board and put forward a new set of plans.

The revised layout showed the same number of houses – 30 – but with the driveways off Ludlow Road replaced with two shared access points for the seven homes fronting the road.

The remaining 23 properties would be accessed via the main entrance to the development off Wenlock Road, mirroring the previous application.

Council planning officers have now granted approval for the revised scheme, without the need for the application to go back before the planning committee.

A report by case officer Sara Jones says the applicant has satisfactorily addressed the previous concerns.

Highways officers supported the new plans, saying: “The main reason for refusal related to the proposed driveways off Ludlow Road, and the feasibility for vehicles to be able to leave the site in a forward gear.

“The proposed layout addresses these concerns by providing two private drives on Ludlow Road, that facilitates vehicles emerging from the site to be able to do so in a forward gear.”

Ms Jones’s report notes that there are no other major differences between the new application and the previous one, for which the road safety issue was the only refusal reason upheld by the inspector.

Granting approval, the report concludes: “In conclusion it is judged that, in the light of the similarities of the scheme to that previously proposed and the appeal inspector’s decision, the revised scheme is considered acceptable in terms of its impact on the character and appearance of the area, the natural environment and residential amenity.

“Turning to the impact of the revised scheme on the highway safety. It is considered that the proposals would not have a detrimental impact on the flow of traffic on the surrounding highway network and the scheme has overcome the highway safety issues previously raised in respect of vehicles not being able to enter and leave the associated front driveways in a forward gear.”

The properties will range from two to five bedrooms, and will include six affordable homes. The scheme also includes areas of public open space.