Former Shropshire restaurant to be demolished for homes

Shropshire Council has granted permission to create the homes on the site of the former Bombay Palace, which was previously the Fox Inn, in Dudleston Heath, near Ellesmere.

The scheme involves creating open market, two-storey detached four-bedroom homes.

Outline plans for the scheme were approved by the council last year using delegated powers.

Following the granting of permission the site has been secured by Sherwood Homes Ltd, which has now had the detailed elements of the scheme approved.

Ellesmere Rural Parish Council objected to the plans after raising concerns it would lead to an over-development of the site which is not in keeping with the local area.

Kay Egerton, chairman of the planning committee for the parish council, said: "The parish council objected to the plans in front of us but did not object to the principal of the application itself.

"We tried to maintain the former Fox pub building but failed. We tried to get the building listed but was unsuccessful.

"We were happy with the nature of the development but the application is for seven houses and we tried to push for five.

"We felt it was an urban development in a rural location. They would be building large houses close together which would cause problems with drainage at the back of the development for existing properties."

She said: "We felt it could have been better laid out and a bit more thought could have gone into it.

"We wanted it to be right for the neighbours as well as for the area we represent."

She believes the building was last used as a restaurant about two years ago.

A statement on behalf of the applicant said: "The proposed layout follows the design of the indicative layout of the outline consent, and has been designed to provide an attractive street frontage along the B5068.

"The development will be served by new foul drainage infrastructure and surface water disposals; this represents a great improvement on the current arrangements."

A report by Shropshire Council, whose planning committee approved the detailed aspects of the scheme, said: "The site currently has a large two-storey painted brick building at its centre which was last used as a restaurant and formerly the Fox Inn public house.

"The site has hardstanding to the front which was used for car parking and to the rear there is the former beer garden.

"The proposed development is acceptable in its design and scale and it will not have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the area.

"Furthermore, the proposal will not have a detrimental impact on the residential amenities of the area."