A plan to convert a former care home into apartments took a step forward last night, after councillors in Oswestry gave their backing.

The scheme for the former Hartlands Rest Home on Salop Road would see eight one-bedroom apartments built in the now empty facility, which closed in late 2023 following a care quality inspection.

At a meeting on Wednesday (October 16), town councillors backed the scheme - although the final decision will still rest with Shropshire Council.

Applicant Mr J Bentley told the meeting that due to recent opening of nearby facilities, the town was already “well served” with care homes.

“The home shut in December of last year following an inadequate care quality commission report, and was subsequently sold. With Shropshire Council’s policy on prioritising in-home care, re-opening the Hartlands would not be economically viable,” he said.

READ MORE: Former Oswestry care home could be turned into apartments

“We considered keeping the building as a C2 [residential care planning use], providing care to a different eligible group such as young care leavers or substance abuse recovery users, and we’ve also looked at the building’s suitability as an HMO (Home of Multiple Occupation), however none of these options are felt to be acceptable given the residential location of the Hartlands, and we believe apartments to be the most appropriate use of the building.”

Mr Bentley added that the scheme would provide more off-road parking than the previous care home use, reducing the pressure for parking spaces on residential roads.

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The town council resolved to offer no official comments on the application, but the scheme attractive positive comments from Cllr Duncan Kerr and Cllr Mark Jones.

“As the local councillor for the area I would be in favour of this,” said Councillor Kerr.

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“It’s a suitable place for such a development and I’m very pleased it’s not going to be a house of multiple occupation, that has been very problematic in that area and we’re having concerns at the moment about that form of development.”

Meanwhile, an application to create additional hotel accommodation at the Premier Inn on Maes-y-clawdd also passed without comment from the town council.

The scheme would see extra hotel rooms created in the adjoining Oswald’s Cross pub building, which Premier Inn say is in response to a “considerable demand for additional budget hotel accommodation” in Oswestry.

A scheme proposed by Gilhams Deli to expand from their Church Street premises with a scheme of alterations to the former butchers premises next door passed with no objection, with comments from the town council asking to ensure that a historic feature on the front of the building was protected as part of the works.

All schemes will be decided by Shropshire Council in due course.