Shrewsbury Civic Society unhappy at Stew revamp plan
The chair of a civic society claims plans for the transformation of a landmark buildings are ‘inappropriate’.
The Stew, which is on the Frankwell Quay side of the River Severn near Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury has been at the centre of a planning dispute for a number of years.
In 2015, the owner of the property, Gareth Lees, applied to Shropshire Council to demolish the building and create a new boutique hotel in its place. But the council refused to grant permission and, despite appealing, a planning inquiry supported its decision.
Since the planning inquiry the building has gained the support of historians, architects and conservationists as well as many local residents.
Mr Lees has now applied to the council to covert the current building in to spa, cafe and apartments. The plans are set to be considered in the New Year by the council’s planning department.
However, Mike Carter, chair of Shrewsbury Civic Society’s planning committee, is keen to see a high quality renovation of a “heritage asset of regional significance”.
Mr Carter said: “Now an application has been submitted to enlarge the structure, turning all but the ground floor into apartments. It would entail removing some walls and the roof, adding another floor, a large glazed side extension and two dish-shaped roofs. This is in spite of the ruling against its demolition. Many believe that the plan is wrong for the building and for Shrewsbury.
“The Stew has been left unloved for far too many years but this new plan is wrong. It is wrong in how it would look; in how it would undermine the building’s heritage and in how it would compromise Frankwell Quay’s future.
“The civic society’s objections to this plan are that too little of it would be retained, its important history in Shrewsbury’s river-trade development would be undermined, and the extra storey and roofs would grossly dominate the structure so it would lose its historic references and proportions.”
The civic society and others have proposed various renovation and reuse schemes, which have not been considered. There have also been several area plans hoping to regenerate Frankwell Quay into a visitor destination, with the Stew and the adjacent Maltings a key focus.
Mr Carter added: “To thrive in the long run, Shrewsbury should only accept high quality sympathetic developments. Apartments here are wrong, particularly next to the theatre. This plan will also look awkward – even against the Stew’s newer surroundings. We think it is likely to be regretted, just as some of our 1960s horrors are now.”
