Shropshire Council’s proposals for Coton Hill House in Berwick Road have been met with 270 objections, with residents saying they would not feel safe in their community if the scheme goes ahead.
In a report to councillors, case officer Jane Raymond says the council previously used the site to accommodate homeless people between March 2021 and June 2023 without obtaining planning permission for the change of use. Access to the building will be via controlled doors, though six of the apartments will have their own private access doors, and these will be used as a ‘final step down’ for residents preparing to leave the facility.
Shrewsbury Town Council and Councillor Nat Green, who represents Quarry and Coton Hill, said they supported the scheme in principle but said there were gaps in the management plan, and more assurance was needed about how the site would be run in order for the community to feel reassured. Ms Raymond says: “With regards to the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour in the locality and wider area arising as a result of the proposed new use, although the fear of crime can be a material consideration there also needs to be an evidential basis to that fear.