Shrewsbury Travelodge developers urged to withdraw hotel plan due to 'overbearing effect'
Council heritage experts have voiced further opposition to a town-centre hotel plan – urging developers to withdraw the proposals.
Shropshire Council's Historic Environment Team is the latest consultee to have its say on an application to build an 83-bed Travelodge on Barker Street Car Park in Shrewsbury.
In a response as part of the planning process the team suggested the proposal, from Morris Property, is withdrawn or refused.
A letter from the team outlines concerns over the appearance of the building, and its impact on the nearby Grade II* Listed Rowley's House and Mansion.
It states that the proposal would have an "overbearing effect" on the listed building.
The letter says: "The present application is for a 90m long, linear, predominantly four storey building extending along the Barker Street frontage from the corner of Claremont Street to within c15m of Rowley’s House & Rowley’s Mansion.
"The northern end of the building steps down to three storeys nearest to Rowley’s.
"However, both the elevation drawings and the visualisations contained within the Design and Access Statement by AHR indicate that the ridge of the roof would be nearly three metres higher than that of the adjacent timber framed range of Rowley’s House.
"This, together with the proximity to Rowley’s House & Rowley’s Mansion, would have an overbearing effect on the listed building, negatively impacting upon its significance."
It says that although the proposed design is similar to the nearby Tannery redevelopment, it is more sensitive due to being situated on a "prominent street corner".
The letter states: "It is accepted that the proposed hotel building utilises the same architectural language, in terms of the predominant use of brickwork, recessed fenestration pitched roofs and gables with standing seam coverings, as the nearby development on the Tannery site.
"However, the latter site is arguably less visually prominent within the surrounding townscape because it is not situated on a prominent street corner.
"Likewise, the new Tannery buildings are effectively oriented gable on to the street frontage, and the four-storey height and massing of the building is accommodated by the topography of the site.
"In contrast, officers consider that the long section of the Barker Street (west) elevation of the proposed hotel building, between the gabled bay and three storey end, has an overly uniform pattern of fenestration that lacks vertical emphasis to break up the massing of the brickwork."
It adds that the building would have an "overly dominating presence in the streetscape".
The objection follows concerns raised over the project by the neighbouring Claremont Baptist Church, Shropshire Council's highways officers, Historic England, and Shrewsbury Civic Society.
A design and access statement prepared by AHR Architects on behalf of Morris Property however, outlined how the plans could be a boost for the town, aiding tourism.
It said: "It is clear to the client and design team that the redevelopment of the Barker Street car park site presents a real opportunity for the growth of visitor numbers to Shrewsbury, for the continuation of the regeneration of the west end (started by the Tannery development, 2019) and will be of benefit to the town as a whole.
"This unique opportunity will undoubtedly be a catalyst to the revitalisation of the other vacant plots and underused buildings in the area, particularly Rowley House and Mansion, and will be a positive addition to Shrewsbury’s built environment."
To view and comment on the application, visit pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications and enter reference 22/04028/FUL.
