Takeaways targeted for compulsory purchase as part of multi-million regeneration
The owners of two Shrewsbury takeaways could be forced to hand over their premises under a compulsory purchase order as part of the multi-million pound regeneration of one of the county's historic buildings.
The Flaxmill Maltings in Ditherington has undergone a major revamp since 2017 to create office space and a visitor centre. And Historic England has now revealed plans to acquire two buildings to the front of the site on Spring Gardens to complete its master-plan.
Following unsuccessful negotiations with the current owners, it has asked Shropshire Council to use its compulsory purchase order powers (CPO) to buy numbers one and 15 Haughmond Square to allow a former ‘gateway’ to the site to be restored.
Constructed in the 19th century, the buildings once framed the entrance to Haughmond Square, which contained small workers’ cottages that have long since been demolished.
Numbers one and 15 are currently occupied by food take away businesses Chilli Spice and Spring Garden (also known as Ambrosia Oriental), but Historic England says their appearance and present use would impact the quality of the overall development if left unchanged.
A report by Mark Barrow, Shropshire Council’s director of place, says they could also have a wider effect on “the success of the aspirations of the Northern Corridor of the Big Town Plan” and depress property values across the site.
'Poor condition'
The report says: “The buildings are considered to be in poor condition and have been subject to alterations which detract from their historic and architectural interest.
“It is considered that these buildings now are required within the scope of the regeneration project to provide a clearly defined and attractive pedestrian gateway to the historic site and this is key to supporting the successful regeneration of the wider Flaxmill site.
“The buildings form an intrinsic and hugely important part of the wider regeneration site development and proposed new street scape along Spring Gardens as well as forming a key gateway to the town’s Northern approach as they occupy a high profile central location within the road frontage.”
Mr Barrow says the current appearance of the buildings could deter potential development partners during the next phases of the scheme, and put off businesses interested in the office space.
He says the CPO is necessary to remove a “substantial barrier to the long term delivery of the entire project”. Historic England has agreed to meet all costs.
Shropshire Council’s cabinet will make a decision on the requested CPO at a meeting on Monday.
It is the second time Historic England has asked the council to use its compulsory purchase powers to progress the Flaxmill scheme.
In September 2019 cabinet agreed what was thought to be the council’s first ever CPO to acquire a piece of land to facilitate the creation of an access to on-site car park when the landowner could not be traced.
