Plans to turn historic Bridgnorth B&B into homes withdrawn after heritage concerns

Plans to convert a Grade II‑listed Bridgnorth bed and breakfast into four homes have been withdrawn following concerns from Shropshire Council’s conservation team.

An application, submitted earlier this year, sought permission to transform The Croft on St Mary’s Street in Bridgnorth into one three‑bedroom house, one one‑bedroom flat and two two‑bedroom flats.

The scheme would have resulted in the loss of 11 guest rooms, with the applicant arguing that demand for accommodation at the long‑running B&B had “fallen sharply” due to the rise of Airbnb and post‑pandemic changes in visitor habits.

But the proposal has now been pulled from the planning process after conservation officers warned that the extent of alterations to the historic interior had not been fully assessed and could put several period features at risk.

In detailed comments, the council’s heritage specialists said the submitted photographs “do not highlight the extent that the proposed works will have on the historic fabric of the building”, noting that a 360‑degree virtual tour revealed plans to remove or cover significant timber framing, panelling and other period features.

They raised particular concerns about the loss of timber partitions and room dividers, as well as the potential impact on embedded panelling, historic timbers and features such as a cast‑iron fireplace.

The team also questioned whether original windows, doors, staircases, banisters and balustrades could be retained while still meeting building regulations for the proposed flats.

“A comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessment needs to be put together by a heritage professional looking at the works individually and assessing the impact,” officers said.

The plans have now been formally withdrawn from the council’s online portal.