Just before Christmas, plans were published for redevelopment of the former Budgens supermarket, which was previously a Co-op and Somerfield before that. It is currently derelict and the host of the Ludlow Art Mural Project. The redevelopment will have two retail units with nineteen apartments above. The design is a mixture of traditional and modern.
The building has been designed by Ludlow architect Trevor Hewitt for Morris Property (19/05380/FUL). It has two retails units. In a change from earlier draft plans, the entrance to Unit 2 is from Galdeford rather than the facing Portcullis GP Practice. Otherwise the plans are similar. A traditional design facing Galdeford with a modern treatment opposite the Library. The building is taller, three stories topped by a penthouse floor. That has been set back to reduce its visual impact.
Both the retail units will be restricted to A1 use, which is defined as:
“Shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, pet shops, sandwich bars, showrooms, domestic hire shops, dry cleaners, funeral directors and internet cafes.”
That means no Wetherspoons or restaurants. These retail units are far too big for many of the uses listed above. They will be selling goods and will give a boost to this area of the town centre and the retail offer in Ludlow as whole. It will help counter the impact of the Rocks Green supermarkets, for which detailed plans are expected in January or February.
Three floors of 19 apartments, including the penthouse storey, will be built above the retail units. All apartments will be for sale. It would not be a surprise if some were purchased to rent out or as second homes. Three of the apartments will be sold at 80% of market – one two-bedroom and two one-bedroom. This satisfies the current government definition of affordable housing and provides the 15% affordability required by Shropshire Council. All the full price apartments will have two bedrooms.
The site is on the edge of Ludlow and Galdeford Conservation Areas. The heritage impact statement accompanying the application says the impact of the proposed building on the conservation area will be “very high beneficial”. That seems a reasonable judgement as the former supermarket has had a high negative impact on the conservation area since it was built in the 1980s. With the proposed redevelopment of 9 Tower Street (One Stop), the impact on the conservation area is stated as “very highly beneficial”.
Can you arrange for about six 7kW electric charging points to be installed under section 106? Ludlow has none at all at present and six in that location would be both welcome and the minimum for the future.
The parking is private. I’ll ask the developer to provide charging points. However, Shropshire Council has promised Ludlow one charging point, except it can’t work out where to put it. To be clear. That’s one charging point. One. Pathetic. But there are no charging charging points at Shirehall, so why have them elsewhere.
Is there any dedicated parking at all? I can’t make this out on the plans and it’s not mentioned in the article.
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