Public inquiry to determine future of historic Shrewsbury building

Developer Gareth Leese has lodged an appeal to the Government Planning Inspectorate over Shropshire Council's decision to refuse planning permission for the Stew in Frankwell.

A planning inquiry is due to be held from April 28 to May 7 in Shirehall.

Shropshire Council turned down the application last year to knock the building down and build a 42-bedroom hotel, creating 50 jobs in the process.

Councillors felt knocking down the former warehouse near the River Severn would cause "substantial harm" to the character of the conservation area.

A spokesman for the Planning Inspectorate today said a decision on the appeal could be made in July or August.

But he added: "It is difficult to be specific as a lot depends on the inspector and the evidence that comes out of the inquiry."

Mary de Saulles, member of Shrewsbury Civic Society, said the group will be represented at the inquiry.

"The demolition of a building of that significance on the Frankwell waterfront is totally inappropriate.

"The application should never have been made. It is purely for private commercial benefit, not for the benefit of the town.

"It is a treasure of the town which could be potentially used to tell the story of the River Severn."

Documents in support of the applicant say: "The appellant submitted an application for planning permission and an application for conservation area consent. Both were refused.

"Since the applications were made the law has changed, abolishing the requirement for conservation area consent for demolition and placing the requirement within the ambit of the planning application.

"Accordingly no appeal is being lodged against the refusal of conservation area consent, but the question of demolition of the Stew is an integral part of the application for planning permission which is the subject of this appeal.

"The council understates the importance of the benefits of the redevelopment of the site and the introduction of a hotel, which is of economic and planning importance to the town, but also of the introduction of a high quality example of architecture."

Two linked applications were submitted to Shropshire Council in 2013 – one for the demolition of the existing building and one for outline planning permission for the building of the new hotel.

The plans had been opposed by numerous conservation groups including English Heritage, Shrewsbury Civic Society and the Shropshire Building Preservation Trust.

More than 1,000 people signed a petition to save the former merchants' warehouse.

In his bid to have the Stew demolished and replaced with a boutique hotel, Mr Leese told the council that a decision should be made "based on facts not fiction".

In February last year he said groups against the demolition plans had not provided evidence to support their claims.