NEW planning permission may be needed for work on a property in the Whitchurch Conservation Area, Shropshire Council has ruled.

A request for a lawful development was made to the council on October 16 for 11b Watergate Street – the Old Mill Store – to clarify whether work could be carried out on the property which received permission in 2005.

The applicant Angela Kirk said she bought the property in 2017 where work had already begun but because of a number of factors, can only now continue to finish work but the council has ruled that fresh permission is required after the original time frame lapsed.

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Tabitha Lythe, planning and development services manager at Shropshire Council, said: “In the absence of sufficient evidence, it has not been demonstrated that on the balance of probabilities, the development as set out in the approved application had been lawfully commenced prior to the expiration date on the planning permission.

“The application is refused on this basis.”

Ms Kirk told the council she intends to make a ‘nice flat that will raise the profile of the area’ and explained why the work was not yet complete.

She said: “Work was started before my purchase in 2017.

“I then also installed water and power in 2018 – unfortunately I then had a divorce, then Covid hit and it’s only now I am in a position to finish the development.

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“The building is just a shell the top floor is just rafters, some of which had been renewed but no floor, you can see all the way to the roof.

“The ground floor is rubble but some work has been done on it, I have installed power and water and would like to make a nice flat that will raise the profile of the area.”

The applicant can now apply to appeal the decision or put in for new planning permission.