'Bland and disappointing' - Civic society calls for 'masterplan' over Shrewsbury Travelodge

Fresh plans from the budget hotel firm and Morris Property have been submitted for a hotel and retail outlets at the current Barker Street car park in Shrewsbury town centre - right next to the Grade II-listed Rowley's House and Mansion.

The original planning application was lodged, condemned and withdrawn within six weeks last autumn, as objectors branded it a "monstrosity".

One of the objectors at the time was the Shrewsbury Civic Society, which said if a "masterplan" for the area was not drawn up, "we could end up with a hotch-potch that pleases no-one and offends almost everyone".

After the group cast its eyes over the latest plans, society chairman Mike Dineen said they are "still not of sufficient quality".

He said: "Shrewsbury Civic Society (SCS) continues to strongly urge the creation of a masterplan as a prerequisite for any development in the Barker Street area. The current proposals serve to support SCS’s view that opportunities will be missed if the area is not considered more holistically to avoid ‘hotch-potch’ developments.

"As to the Travelodge hotel, SCS has serious concerns about a number of issues relating to the revised application.

"The largely single roof-line, creating a monolithic structure, rather than following the topography of the site - sloping down to Rowley’s House and accordingly stepping down the proposed retail units. A subtle response which would help breakdown the bulk of the building

"The treatment of the hotel entrance with its large expanse of glass isn’t an improvement over its predecessor.

"Having a different design for each of the three gables to Barker Street is unnecessary and distracts from the stronger features of the design, such as the dormers.

"The principle of creating a block whose elevation specifically addresses Claremont Street is a good one with historic precedents. Unfortunately, the elevation as proposed is rather too bland for this important corner site.

"SCS remains very concerned at the treatment of the rest of the site at the rear of the hotel block. The section of the block closest to Rowley’s House does now relate slightly better to it and the rear elevations overlooking the car park are an improvement.

"A much better setting for the hotel and Rowley’s House can be achieved if the car park is replaced by sensitive building development along Hill’s Lane and to the south-east of Rowley’s House in a way that creates a semi-enclosed public space with stone paving, benches and isolated trees. Simply providing some planting around the car park as is being proposed is not enough.

"The reduced-size car park should exist only as a very temporary measure pending further development to a masterplan for the area.

"A welcome, and highly appropriate feature, suggested in the application are the formal gardens to the north-west of Rowley’s House.

"The patchwork of buildings that typifies Shrewsbury is something that emerged over centuries of evolution and is not something that can normally be recreated in a single building. Overall, SCS is disappointed with this new application which we believe is not of sufficient quality for this important site."

When the latest plans were unveiled, Morris Property's head of development's Elizabeth Lowe said "particular attention" had been paid to address concerns of the civic society and Shrewsbury Town Council.

“The new application has been designed to complement the ambitions of the Big Town plan in not only providing a use deemed suitable for this location, which will greatly assist the tourist economy of the town, but also to help create public realm space around Rowley’s House and Mansion," she said.

To view the application in full and comment, visit bit.ly/41QZhVK