New Shrewsbury Travelodge would 'interrupt' views of 'gem in the crown' listed house

Objections have been lodged against proposals for a Travelodge and three retail units in Barker Street, Shrewsbury, next to Grade II listed Rowley's House, with people saying it will block the view of the 16th century landmark and cause problems with parking.

The plans, submitted on behalf of Morris Property, detail a four-storey, 436sq m building on the Barker Street car park, in between the Baptist Church in Claremont Street and Rowley's House.

Several objections to the plans have been raised. Sam Cane said: "There is nothing about this plan that leads me to think it's a good idea.

"Loss of parking space, huge modern building in an old and beautiful town and more retail space that will stand empty, much like the space on the opposite side of the road.

"There is no need for a large budget hotel to be right in the centre of town. The area around Cineworld, near the proposed McDonald's, would be much more suitable.

"Please do not allow this application, it will do nothing for the historic town centre at all."

Neill Cooper said: "This development is unnecessary and would be detrimental to the area. If you look on any weekday, the car park is always busy and it also has the benefit of offering virtually uninterrupted views of Rowley's House which is one of the largest gems in the crown of Shrewsbury's architecture.

"There are also sadly many empty shops in the town and I don't see the value in building more shops to sit empty. Shrewsbury is a special town that sadly doesn't get the level of visitors it deserves.

"If you wanted to have an identikit hotel near the town centre there are other sites that could be more fitting such as Old Potts Way."

In the design and access statement, AHR Architects said: "The building is to be a contemporary addition to the West End using traditional materials and forms to reflect the heritage of the site drawing inspiration from the character and scale of the buildings in the area. It must respect and enhance the existing views to the heritage assets in the area."

Built in the late 1500s by Roger Rowley, a successful wool merchant, the timber framed Rowley's House, and brick mansion built by his son in 1618 are located within the core of the Shrewsbury Conservation Area.

The interconnected former houses are Grade II listed in recognition of their historic and architectural significance. The mansion is also believed to be the earliest brick building in Shrewsbury.

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