Copthorne Barracks development set to finally go ahead

Planning bosses are poised to approve plans to convert Shrewsbury’s Copthorne Barracks into hundreds of homes.

Officers have recommended the controversial plans be approved when planners meet on Thursday.

Former soldiers are dismayed at the thought that the military links with the town would be eradicated. They had made requests for part of the site to be made available to veterans and their families.

Other concerns include the materials to be used in the construction, the full capacity of local doctor’s surgeries and the demolition of the majority of the traditional buildings within the barracks.

A reserved matters application was submitted to Shropshire Council earlier this autumn detailing final plans for the site, which would see the construction of 216 homes, including 43 affordable homes and the demolition of all buildings apart from the historic Keep which will be converted into nine apartments.

Now the plans will be discussed by the council, with an officer recommending they be approved.

The applicant, Bellway Homes, bought the site from the MoD for an undisclosed sum.

In a report, which will go before councillors on Thursday, case officer Jane Raymond, said that further pedestrian and cycle links to Barracks Lane would be introduced in the interests of Highway safety and that there would be no permanent route between Copthorne Road and The Mount.

A comprehensive drainage plan must be submitted to the council for approval and must be fully implemented before the first people move in.

Planting plans, details of retained trees and the creation of wildlife habitats such as hedgehog-friendly gravel boards, bird boxes and amphibian-friendly gully posts should also be provided.

A number of comments have been received from the consultants.

The council’s tree officer is satisfied that previous concerns over tree retention had been addressed and the council’s conservation officers noted that the brick boundary along Barracks Lane would now be retained, extended and repaired.

Shrewsbury Town Council has made no comment about the plans, which will be discussed at the next meeting of Shropshire Council’s Central Planning committee at Shirehall.