Planning row over blaze-hit Shropshire chip shop
Six years after it was reduced to a pile of rubble in a devastating explosion, a Shropshire chip shop has been rebuilt – but county planners say the work has "driven a coach and horses through planning conditions".
And as a result the owners of the Broseley Chippy – which was destroyed in a gas explosion that blew doors and windows 60 feet across the town's High Street in 2009 – could have to give their new building an overhaul – or face legal action.
The newly-built chip shop came before the Shropshire Council's south planning committee at Shirehall this week, where councillors said they were not impressed that plans to build it in line with the Broseley conservation area had not been followed.
Owners Parmajit and Manjit Sandhu applied to the committee to remove five planning conditions agreed in 2010 so the work carried out could remain as it is – but councillors refused to budge.
Residents had complained that the new building was a "monumental eyesore", the committee was told.
A bright orange-red brick had been used instead of the specified Ibstock Oldcott Rustic brick, roof tiles were uniform black instead of the reclaimed tiles agreed, the design of the eaves was different and no blue brick or lime mortar had been used. In addition a planned flue up the side of the building would intrude on a public right of way, residents claimed.
Councillor Stuart West, representing Shifnal South and Cosford, and committee vice chairman, said: "I can fully understand why people are angry about this, because as it stands today it is totally out of keeping with what was agreed."
Much Wenlock councillor David Turner said a site visit had driven the point home. He said: "What we saw is not what was approved. If we allow this in retrospect it would tantamount to an invitation to any developer to obtain permission first and then flout any conditions."
Andy Boddington, councillor for Ludlow South said: "It has driven a coach and horses through the planning conditions and a driven a bulldozer through the conservation area."
The committee was unanimous in refusing to waive the original conditions, meaning a major rethink of the building work for the owners.
Mr Sandhu took over what was Mick The Chips before the disaster, and was in India at the time of the explosion in the early hours of February 19, 2009. On the night the area was cordoned off as over 30 firefighters tackled the subsequent blaze.
