16/02872/FUL — Shrewsbury Town Council

Address	Proposal	Shrewsbury Town Council Decision
Flax Mill St Michaels Street Shrewsbury Shropshire SY1 2SZ	Repair and restoration of the Main Mill and Kiln; installation of structural strengthening solution; re-opening of windows to all floors; formation of visitor interpretation centre, learning space and cafe; restoration of upper floors for commercial use; landscaping and formation of car parking area (98 spaces) with improved accessibility across the site	Representation
Application Date:

Application Notes:
DEFERRED - Due to the large quantity of information on this application, members would welcome a summary of the proposed works at the next meeting either from an Officer from the Flax Mill or as prepared by the Committee Clerk. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REPRESENTATION Shrewsbury Town Council is highly supportive of the development of the Flaxmill and associated buildings to create a mixed-use facility which will provide modern employment space as well as an important visitor space that will aid the promotion and enhancement of the Flaxmill’s reputation and national/international standing. However in supporting this application there are implications to the local residential amenity of the area we feel must be addressed to ensure that this development sits in harmony with its surroundings. Members feel that the transport plan needs greater consideration to the impact on the local residents, particularly those of Marshalls Court. Accepting that a carpark is probably the most effective use for the rear of the development site given (i) its potential flood risk and (ii) the potential contamination of this site members would like to see mitigation measures enhanced for this area; these should include: (i) Enhancements to the junction onto St Michaels Street to allow for better traffic management accessing and egressing the development site; (ii) The use of traffic Regulation Orders and/or Residential Parking along Marshalls Court to restrict opportunist parking off site; (iii) Changing the vehicular access into the carpark from the end of Marshalls Court to its existing access. In so moving the road layout greater provision could be made to creating landscaping that would attenuate any surface water run-off from the carpark; (iv) Losing a row of carparking places to the rear of Marshalls Court to enable bunding and landscaping; (v) Ensuring all lights are positioned to downlight the carpark and do not pollute the area unnecessarily with light; (vi) Use of CCTV (with possible hook-up to the town centre CCTV system) within the carpark; (vii) There be minimum height restriction barriers to restrict vehicular traffic height; (viii) Conditions on the operating hours of the site. We are aware of comments raised by the Council’s traffic management consultant questioning the adequacy of the transport plan and the plans for 98 parking spaces to service nearly three times as many users. Members feel that serious consideration needs to be given to these points ahead of any final decision being made. In view of the strategic importance to this development and the somewhat sensitivity of the site locally, we would respectfully ask that this application is considered by the Central Planning Committee.