Outline plan for houses in garden of former station master's house gets approval

An outline planning application for four homes to be built in Horton Road, Trench, has been approved by Telford & Wrekin Council.

This comes despite the council’s highways department raising fears that pedestrians would have to walk along the road to access the development from Trench Road.

Applicant Nigel Collins will now have to submit full details including the design layout, parking, access and proposed drainage system for approval before building work can start.

The former Station Master’s House is thought to date back to 1849 when it was built at the Trench Crossings Railway Station on the former London, Midland and Scottish Railways’ Stafford to Shrewsbury Line.

A design and access statement says that the proposed development site is in a ‘large area of garden land’ of the property. They state that the garden has become overgrown and ‘is now becoming an eyesore’.

It is proposed that four new two-storey houses are built on the land which are planned to be ‘bespoke and individual’.

“It is considered that the development will respect the street scene as it demonstrates that adequate private amenity space can be provided together with adequate access and parking arrangements,” concluded the applicant.

Telford & Wrekin Council planners said that the proposed layout ‘is not deemed to be acceptable at this stage’. However, officers are confident that an acceptable scheme could come forward.

The council’s highway authority has opposed to the current plans after raising safety fears about additional development on Horton Road.

“The traffic generated by the proposed development would likely result in an increase in highway danger due to the intensification of use of the Horton Road/Trench Road junction, which affords restricted visibility as you look to the right for drivers emerging from Horton Road onto Trench Road,” said the highways officer.

The highways authority also raised safety concerns for pedestrians due to the ‘lack of segregated footway’ along Horton Road, leading onto Trench Road.

On approving the outline plans the council’s planning officer said that the latest plan submitted shows ‘there is already a footpath’ at the front of the site and this development can link to it.

“Horton Road is also subject to a level of on-street parking due to the substandard parking arrangements associated to the existing properties and the parking/deliveries that are associated to the ‘Kitchen Depot’,” the highways authority added.

“Whilst an adequate amount of parking is being proposed within the development site, the increase in vehicular trips along Horton Road would exacerbate the existing highway issues.”

An objection was also submitted from a homeowner on Trench Road who raised fears about the additional traffic.

They also fear that the development would increase the amount of on-street parking on Horton Road.

In approving the outline application, the council’s planning officer said: “The scale and design of the dwellings will be assessed at a later stage when the reserved matters comes forward, however the dwellings should respect and respond positively to their setting and incorporate some features which enhance the character of the area and local distinctiveness.

“The scheme is considered to be an acceptable addition to the area which officers consider will enhance the character of the area, whilst retaining the amenity of nearby residents.”