Home of multiple occupancy planned above Wellington pub

If approved, proposals would see the first and second floors above The Beacon Lounge, in Wellington, converted into 11 double bedrooms.

The Grade II-listed building is situated within the Wellington Conservation Area and faces onto Market Square.

A listed building consent and change of use application has been submitted to Telford & Wrekin Council.

The upper two floors currently house un-used office and residential accommodation. They are accessed from the front by two separate front doors, and internally through a door from the pub toilets.

“The ground floor has been extended in the past and was most recently used as a pub,” a design and access statement submitted with the application says.

“With the exception of the works required to the drainage and some fire protection work to the staircase area, no works are intended that would affect the current pub.”

Submitted plans show the first floor consisting of four en-suite double bedrooms with two shared kitchens, living and dining areas. The existing pub male and female toilets would remain on the first floor.

Second floor plans for the building include five en-suite rooms and two further bedrooms which would share a bathroom. There is also a shared kitchen, living and dining area.

“All rooms will meet the minimum space requirements as set out in the council amenity standards,” adds applicant Purdip Shoker of Newgate Properties Ltd.

“The new home of multiple occupancy (HMO) will house 22 people in total.”

A secondary glazing of windows is proposed along with the replacement of damaged window sashes.

There is no dedicated parking provided in the plans as the applicant says the site is in a ‘highly sustainable location for travel’, with a train station opposite.

“The original aspects of the building will be retained including the feature moulding/cornicing and fire places etc as well as atrium rooflight to the atrium,” the design and access statement concludes," says the application.

“The remainder of the building has previously been stripped out and refurbished and the remainder of the original features have been lost.

“The proposal has a minimal impact on the historic value of the building, and the works internally and the structural repairs will prevent any further deterioration and keep the building in a good state of repair for the foreseeable future.”

The planning application is available to view on the Telford & Wrekin Council’s planning portal on its website, application number TWC/2024/0029. Any comments should be made during the consultation phase which ends on January 31.