'Masterplan' called for amid 'unacceptable' 83-bed Travelodge plan in Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury Civic Society says the new development next to the Grade II Listed Rowley's House and Mansion would be built too high if current plans are given the green light, and that the budget hotel chain's "same anywhere" design doesn't fit into the town's historic surroundings.

Instead, the group has called for a "masterplan" for the Barker Street area to create a townscape "more in the spirit of the rest of the historic town centre".

In objection to the plans, Michael Dineen, chair of the society, said: "We strongly support the principle of development on this site. For many years this area of the town centre has been visually blighted by the demolitions of the 1930's which resulted in the destruction of much of its historic and aesthetic quality. Rowley's House and Mansion were preserved but within a severely compromised setting.

"Bus station and then car parks replaced the former dense urban grain of narrow streets, yards and gardens and created instead long-range views of Rowley's House but views only to be seen across a sea of cars. Ironically, the trees planted around the mansion in a well-meaning attempt to shield it from the visually disastrous car parks serve only to obscure the building for much of the year.

"So, in our view, sympathetic development on, and nearby, the proposed site would be welcome. This we believe accords with the vision set out by the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan.

"We are opposed to the scale particularly the height of the proposed building. We would like to see a lower, less bulky and assertive development in order to better reflect the heights of the assortment of structures on the opposite side of Barker Street and Rowley's House itself, although it must be admitted that the new student flats and medical practice have recently introduced a new scale into the street.

"We recognise the efforts of the architects to provide a contextual design. The architects are clearly operating within severe constraints on design imposed by the hotel chain. Despite the architects' efforts it is apparent that a large budget hotel reflecting its client's 'same anywhere' requirements is almost certainly not an appropriate occupant of this site. A smaller hotel would probably work much better here.

"We have no objection to the siting of a hotel and retail units here. Retail units would help to visually break down the bulk of the hotel and potentially to create an active street frontage both of which are welcome.

"We strongly object to the impact this development would have on the neighbouring environment to its rear.

"The development as proposed would leave the remaining part of the Barker Street car park as in effect a visually highly unsatisfactory service yard for the hotel. Whilst the suggestion of a café with outdoor area adjacent to Rowley's House is a good one, its position overlooking the remnant of the car park would be poor and the planting suggested would do little to address that.

"We recommend that the creation of a semi-enclosed public open space accessed from both Barker Street and Hill's Lane and bounded by sympathetically scaled buildings to the southeast of Rowley's House would not only create a more agreeable setting for an outdoor café but more importantly preserve and enhance views of Rowley's House that would be far superior to the compromised views that exist today. It would also mask the ugly backs of buildings along Claremont Street.

"We urge the creation of a masterplan for this area as a prerequisite for any development on the site. The inappropriateness of the proposed building in this context and the unresolved nature of the left-over spaces that would result from its construction indicate that a piecemeal development of the Barker Street car park is fraught with difficulties, and worse, might miss opportunities for the visual enhancement of the whole area."

To view and comment on the planning application, visit pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications and enter reference 22/04028/FUL.