89 homes planned for listed hospital site in Ironbridge

Shropshire Homes have submitted the plans for the former Beeches Hospital site, a listed building, in Beech Road.

Developers want to demolish part of the site – but only the parts, they say, that have been added on in the last century and which have no historical value.

The building was originally the Madeley Union Workhouse and was built in 1871 before becoming a hospital in the 1930s.

It was granted Grade II listed building status in 2007 and is still a hospital today, but is now in private hands and has been re-named Lincoln Grange.

A report submitted by Shropshire Homes in support of the application says: "The application consists of the conversion of the former Beeches Hospital into 36 houses after the demolition of a small part of the 19th century structure and all the 20th century additions.

"It is proposed to construct 47 new two-storey houses with associated parking to the north of the listed building on pasture land, whilst protecting and enhancing the original landscaped setting and features of the site. Six new two-storey houses will be constructed to replace the 1930s nursing accommodation to the south of the listed building.

"The development therefore seeks to provide a high quality, viable solution to provide a future use for the listed buildings while protecting and enhancing the semi-rural nature of the site."

The plans, which include a new access of Beeches Road, have been submitted to build a total of 89 homes on the site.

Eighty-five of those would be for sale on the open market, with six one-bedroom homes, 35 two-bed, 31 three-bed and 13 with four bedrooms or more. Of the other four, two would be shared ownership and the other two would be made available for rent.

A report submitted by archaeologist Nick Tavener supports the application for conversion. The demolition of 13 buildings, built later, will improve the visual appearance, he said.

He says: "The Beeches Hospital was originally purpose-built as the Madeley Union Workhouse to the pavilion plan form with Nightingale wards, the first such workhouse in Britain.

"Nearly all of the buildings of that original 1870s workhouse survive largely intact.

"The majority are in good structural order, although the original open plan wards have been considerably partitioned in recent years."