British Ironwork Centre planning application 'lacking detail'

The British Ironwork Centre, on the A5 , submitted a retrospective planning application to Shropshire Council after it was revealed it had not sought permission for its site.

The application, which comprises a cafe, warehouse, outdoor activities, visitor parking, new buildings, an outdoor theatre, a mini railway and a crazy golf course, was submitted in October last year.

Shropshire Council instructed ESP Ltd to carry out a report into the impact of the scheme in November.

However ESP says the application contains insufficient detail to carry out a proper review.

The report says: “From our review of the proposed plans and reports to date, we consider that this information is both lacking in detail and confusing.

“There is no existing site plan or drawing indicating the field pattern before the development, subject of the retrospective application, was constructed. There is no overall proposed landscape plan that can be read to scale and in context of the surrounding landscape.

“There are inconsistencies between the various plans and the landscape management plan, and the information lacks sufficient detail regarding the fabric, structure and layout of the proposed development.

“The incoherent proposals make it very difficult for us to assess the landscape and visual issues in any detail.

“However, it is our preliminary opinion that the scale and disposition of the built form of the proposed development may give rise to the landscape and visual issues.”

A recommendation from ESP has outlined the work the centre needs to carry out before a proper report can be prepared.

The report added: “It is our recommendation that the applicant prepares a coherent set of accurate and appropriately scaled plans and undertakes a landscape and visual appraisal of effects on the landscape receptors identified.

“If the applicant is unable to find a suitably qualified landscape architect to undertake this appraisal, ESP can prepare a report for the council to assess the potential landscape and visual effects once the revised set of drawings are available and understood.”

Bosses at the centre revealed last month that the cost of the planning application had now reached a six figure sum.

Centre chairman Clive Knowles said: “We will obviously be addressing the matters that have been brought up.

“We are meeting with the council in the New Year to try to resolve any issues in the report and any other matters. We are happy to iron out any problems.

“Support for the application is coming in in droves.

“We have unprecedented support with only half a dozen objections compared to hundreds of messages of support.

“We are very optimistic about the future.”