Former home of Mary Webb to be saved in demolition plan for cottage

The former home of one of Shropshire’s most famous writers must be preserved in plans to knock down the house it now forms part of, planning officers have said.

Shropshire Council has granted planning permission for Spring Cottage on Lyth Hill to be demolished and replaced – as long as the original core of the building, built by celebrated novelist Mary Webb, is retained.

The decision marks the end of an eight-year wrangle which has seen two previous sets of plans to bulldoze the entire property and replace it with a much larger house rejected.

The authority says the cottage, which has been extended and altered over time, is not a heritage asset – a view backed up by Historic England’s decision not to add it to the National Heritage List.

The previous applications were refused in 2013 and 2015 on the grounds that the proposed replacement house would be out of keeping with the area, with the Planning Inspectorate upholding both decisions at appeal.

Following several re-designs, planners are now content that the new build would not impact nearby residents or its surroundings.

The latest proposals also include a commitment from the homeowners, Joe and Annette Kwaterski, to retain the original part of the cottage as an ancillary building on the site, with the new house to be constructed elsewhere in the grounds.

Shropshire Council’s conservation team did not object, saying: “Previous schemes for a replacement dwelling on this Lyth Hill property all involved the full demolition of the existing dwelling, Spring Cottage, which novelist and poet Mary Webb and her husband first built as a small cottage circa 1917 as their residence, and from where Mary Webb wrote several works.

“As has been previously noted, the modest original cottage has been substantially extended and modified by subsequent owners, where Historic England noted in formally assessing the building for possible statutory listing that, while the strong historic and cultural/literary connections and value of the site were acknowledged, the extensive alterations meant that the property fell short of meeting the criteria for statutory listing.”

Conservation officers said a demolition plan should be drawn up, detailing which parts of the cottage will be retained and re-constructed, and how they will be protected once the remainder of the building has been knocked down.

A report by planning officer Shannon Franklin says Longden Parish Council had initially objected but revised its position to neutral.

However 30 members of the public, along with Longden councillor Roger Evans, did object to the plans.

The Mary Webb Society said it was “much to our regret” that the building was not recognised as a heritage asset. The society said it would welcome the chance to be involved in identifying the historic core of the cottage to be retained, and future discussions with the homeowners over future public access.

Ms Franklin’s report said: “A key concern of residents has been the demolition of the existing Spring Cottage and the loss therefore of Mary Webb’s cottage.

“Previous attempts have been made to get the building listed however… the building has been heavily altered to such an extent that it is not worthy of listing.

“It must then be considered whether the building is a non-designated heritage asset, however the same issue arises in that there is now little external evidence of the historic fabrics or form and such extensive alterations of the building have occurred that even the weight attributed to this status must be propionate.

“The applicants have complied with [planning policy] to provide a Heritage Impact Assessment which is considered to be satisfactory.

“The applicants are also intending to keep the historic core of the cottage such that its original form will be visible and therefore make a more positive contribution to the locality.”

Conditions attached to the planning permission require a structural survey identifying the original cottage to be carried out, and a schedule of building works for its renovation and repair to be approved in writing by the council before work can start.