Bosses behind plans for a proposed 33-bed hotel in Bridgnorth are investigating whether the town has enough parking to cope with the extra cars after ‘strong concerns’ were raised over vehicle access.

A multi-tier car park racking system within the New Market Building is part of the proposals for the Listley Street site. But highways officials at Shropshire Council are not happy and have suggested the car parking proposals be deleted from the scheme.

Carl Huntley, scheme architects, of base Architecture & Design in Shrewsbury, said they were “in limbo” and were now facing a delay of two to three months on the scheme.

Mark Wootton, senior engineer at the council, said in correspondence with the council’s planning department: “I have strong concerns regarding both the practicality and safety of the proposed vehicular access of Listley Street to serve the internal parking arrangements.”

He said: “It is likely that the resulting manoeuvring of a vehicle either gaining access or egress would have to carry out a number of manoeuvres within the highway and potentially encroach across the northern footway to the detriment of pedestrian safety.

“In addition the driver of an exiting vehicle would be unable to view pedestrians crossing the access point, again raising pedestrian safety issues.”

Mr Wootton suggested the car parking should be deleted from the scheme.

Mr Huntley said: “What we are now undertaking is an evaluation of parking within the town to see what capacity is there.

“If there is capacity, great. We need to talk to the town council to make sure they are comfortable with our proposals. Then we would need to move forward and re-design the ground floor.

“If it turns out there is not capacity within the town we have to go back to planning and discuss parking in the ground floor of the hotel.”

Mr Huntley said: “Until that is done were are in limbo, it’s frustrating. We wanted to be done by now.”

Bridgnorth Civic Society has backed the proposals, which were submitted in September.

Doctor Christopher Jephcott, society chairman, said: “The society wishes to place on record our strong support for the application, which we consider will help secure the future of this prominent Grade II-listed building.

“There are possible concerns about the siting and details of the internal parking arrangements but this in no way undermines our general support.”

The Listley Street building was originally built in the 19th century to accommodate local street traders.

It is now home to a number of businesses, including a Costa Coffee Shop, which would remain on the site.

Lisa Rowley

Source: http://www.bridgnorthjournal.com/2012/03/09/car-parking-hitch-hits-bridgnorth-hotel-plans/

Bridgnorth’s 150-year-old rail station will get a £2 million revamp under new plans. The Severn Valley Railway announced ambitious plans to expand the town’s station to cope with soaring visitor numbers.

Up to 250,000 people use the station each year while taking a trip along the 16-mile heritage line, which runs between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster.

The changes are the first phase of a bigger overall project that is likely to take 10 years to complete.

The £2 million plan will see another station building created including a self-service buffet, kitchen, shop, visitor information and exhibition area, toilets and a dining area for workers.

The project will also conserve the existing 1862 station building. SVR general manager Nick Ralls said: “We’ve set out our stall to realise the station’s enormous potential as an outstanding general visitor and enthusiast destination.”

In all, SVR chiefs have 11 projects for Bridgnorth station over the next 10 years.

Just before the start of the hunt there was a very touching minutes silence in memory Hugh Jones who died tragically in farming accident at Brockton on 23rd December 2011.

It was the wishes of his family that the hunt still go ahead.

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The £9,000 system was installed at the Low Town car park in Bridgnorth in August by Creative Parking Solutions.

Anne Wilson, from Bridgnorth Town Council said: “It’s quite embarrassing and we have a duty of care to the people who use the car park.”

The company was unavailable for comment.

According to the council at least 70 of the 200 fine notices issued since the system was installed have gone to the wrong people.

The council claim the system was failing to recognise some characters on car number plates and are hoping to have a meeting with Creative Parking Solutions next week.

Mrs Wilson said: “We run the car park on behalf of a charity and we need to generate an income to maintain it and to pay to the charity.”

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-15375489

About 40 people turned out to voice their concerns about problems  caused by late-night drinking at a meeting in the town last night  organised by Shropshire Council.

Sergeant Bob Matthews, of Bridgnorth police, told the meeting  installing CCTV in Cartway was one possible next step being considered  to reduce disorder.

Councillor Christian Lea, who chaired the meeting at the town hall, said CCTV would be a positive step.

Town centre residents spoke of how their lives were being made a misery by noise, anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

David Richardson, of Cartway, said: “This public meeting has come about because there has been growing anger and frustration by town centre residents and, no doubt, the police about the disruptive effect of late-night drinking has on the surrounding residential streets often until 3am and 4am.

“Licences appear to have been given out to premises, like Boogie Nights and the Crown to serve alcohol until 3am regardless of the impact it will have on the surrounding area, treating the pub in total isolation from its surroundings.

“Even protests from residents are ignored. The problem is not necessarily the way the pubs are run but the saturation of the area around the High Street with 40 to 50 or more of their clientele for which pub managers have no control. It is unacceptable.”

He said the situation was made worse because Bridgnorth had a reputation as a late-night drinking town attracting people from Telford and Wolverhampton, bringing an extra strain on resources for the police.

Mr Richardson described how residents had woken to broken bottles, beer cans, vomit and even urination.

Stewart Bellarby, licensee of the Crown pub in High Street, said people causing problems could be banned from pubs in the Pubwatch scheme.

He said Bridgnorth was a lovely town and he did not think anti-social behaviour was such a big issue.

The meeting, which was also attended by MP Philip Dunne, heard that Boogie Nights, in Listley Street was currently closed.

Tony Mantle, West Mercia police spokesman, said the designated premises supervisor had ‘withdrawn and dissociated himself’ with the club on Monday. This meant the nightclub could not open until an application to vary the name of the supervisor had been submitted and agreed.

By Lisa Rowley, Shropshire Star

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011/09/30/cctv-plan-to-stop-anti-social-behaviour-in-bridgnorth/

Upton Cressett Hall is a sixteenth century moated Elizabethan brick manor with historic gatehouse and Norman church set in an unspoilt and romantic landscape near the Shropshire market town of Bridgnorth in the heart of PG Wodehouse’s Blandings country. The house has long been admired by architectural critics ranging from Nikolaus Pevsner to Simon Jenkins, who included Upton Cressett in his acclaimed ‘Best Houses of Britain’, describing it as an ‘Elizabethan gem’.

The manor was the historic home of the Cressett family for centuries, before the Cash family began living there in 1971. Following restoration work, Upton Cressett is now open to the public and for group visits. The property is also available for events, concerts and filming. A special production of Much Ado About Nothing was performed in the grounds on Friday, 26th August to mark the re-opening of the Hall. The Elizabethan manor and Gatehouse will be open on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons from 2pm to 5pm until September 18th, and on Saturday 10th September (from 10am to 4.30pm) to support the Shropshire Historic Churches Trust ‘Ride and Stride’ day.

http://www.uptoncressetthall.co.uk/

The new service will operate in Bridgnorth from 31 October alongside the existing recycling collections.

The collection of plastic bottles is being introduced by Shropshire Council and its waste contractors Veolia Environmental Services.

The service has already been introduced in the Oswestry, north Shropshire, Shrewsbury and south Shropshire areas.

When the new service starts people will be asked to put their recycling out for collection in three kerbside collection boxes rather than two.

An extra box will be delivered to households in the two weeks before the service starts.

Councillor John Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for waste, said: “The collection of plastic bottles from the kerbside has already proved extremely popular with residents in other areas of the county and is helping to boost the amount of household waste that is recycled in Shropshire.”

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-14986268

Read more: http://www.shropshirestar.com/shropshire-business/2011/08/12/boost-for-jobs-as-aldis-bridgnorth-store-bid-allowed/#ixzz1Yx7tuKvA

It has recevied a GOLD in the 2011 Heart of England in Bloom Awards for the category of Town: 6,001-12,000 .

For more information visit http://www.heartofenglandinbloom.co.uk