MoD seeks go-ahead for Shrewsbury Copthorne Barracks homes

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking outline planning permission for Copthorne Barracks, the former home of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry.

Calls have come from campaign groups for part of the site to be made available to veterans and their families.

But the suggestion has not been taken up for the proposal and now the MoD hopes to gain permission to demolish buildings, including the officer’s mess.

In their place 228 homes would be built including up to 45 apartments for retirement living, and the conversion of the armoury, also known as the ‘keep’ into nine residential apartments.

The plans will be discussed at a meeting of Shropshire Council’s central planning committee which meets next week.

Officers have attached a number of conditions to the application, including that the developers, when appointed, must install a minimum of one electric vehicle (EV) plug-ready charging point at every dwelling, with an off-street car parking space prior to the first occupation of that dwelling.

They have also said that a detailed travel plan must be produced before the first occupation of any part of the development and it be ‘approved in writing by, the local planning authority’.

They say the travel plan shall include support and incentives for bus, cycle use, walking and car-sharing.

Any possible contamination of the site must also be explored and a financial contribution for primary school provision within the catchment area of the site in the south and west of Shrewsbury of approximately £950,000 be made.

Financial contributions totalling £145,498 must also be paid to Frankwell County Ground, Silks Meadow Recreation Facility and Shorncliffe Drive Recreation Facility.

This is as compensation for the loss of the playing field within the military compound and to meet the sports and recreational needs of the new residents.

Under the plans the proposed access to the site would be made via Copthorne Road and via alterations to the access along Barracks Lane on to The Mount.

Objectors to the scheme say that the demolition of the buildings and the loss of the parade group would be at the detriment of the military history of Shrewsbury.

The planning report stated: “It is acknowledged that the buildings and parade ground hold memories for the service personnel that lived, trained and worked here and that the loss of all the buildings on this site would eradicate all evidence of military history in this part of Shrewsbury.

“The keep and the boundary walls and main entrance are the aspects of the site that were predominantly in public view when the military occupied the site.”

It added: “Their retention will serve as a reminder to the existing and future residents of Shrewsbury of the previous use of this site.”

The application will now be determined at a meeting of the committee next Thursday.