Hotel plan for stately home and wedding venue near Shrewsbury

Netley Hall, in Dorrington, is a Grade II Listed family home, which was built in the 1820s.

Currently playing host to weddings, the owner, Harrison Poole, applied for planning permission to turn the hall into a hotel.

Now Shropshire Council planning chiefs have backed the scheme, granting permission.

Planning officer Frank Whitley said: “There is considered sufficient information submitted to enable the application for change of use to be determined.

“The development complies with tourist-related policies and will extend visitor provision for the established wedding ceremony and function business.”

In the application, agent Cathryn Johnson said: “The applicant wishes to partially change the use of Netley Hall from dwelling house to hotel.

“The application is made in full. The hotel will complement the existing wedding venue business which is already in operation at Netley Hall.

“The site is located 1.7km south west of the village of Dorrington. Netley Hall is a Grade II listed building, currently used as a family home.

Functions

“Planning permission was previously granted to use the ground floor of Netley Hall for mixed uses for the purposes of wedding ceremonies.

“The sports hall and associated estate land is also used for wedding-related functions and parking with a variety of businesses running in the extensive grounds. This includes Netley Hall Holidays, weddings, events and equestrian uses.”

She added: “Netley Hall is a classic brick house, with a porch of paired Tuscan columns in front of the stone-faced centre bay.

“The interior features a large glazed hall with Tuscan pilasters and a screen of two Tuscan columns fronting a grand staircase.

“The proposed development requires no structural changes to the hall.

“The East Lodge at Netley Hall was built in 1826 and is likely to indicate the date of the park.

“The house was built 1854-58 to replace the old hall, and the North Lodge was constructed in 1936.”

She added: “The proposed development will deliver a high quality, sustainable tourism development which will enhance the local economy and will benefit the local community and visitors experience.

“The development will be of high quality in an accessible location served by a range of existing services and facilities.

“It is likely that the development will enhance the role of Shropshire as a tourist destination to stay.

“The proposal is of an appropriate scale and character to its surroundings.”