The Treehouses.

Berrys were instructed as the project team to deliver topographical surveys, planning advice, architectural plans, drainage plans, and heritage consultancy for a client who wished to install a holiday let on their previously low-income land.

The Site was a tricky location, situated on the boundary between Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin’s planning authorities. During pre-application advice sought by the client, concerns had been raised regarding the infill development of green space between the two adjoining settlements of Broseley and Iron Bridge. The Site was also positioned on the edge of Broseley’s Conservation Area as well as on the Boundary of the Iron Bridge Gorge World Heritage Site. This resulted in a negative pre-application response, indicating that any full application was likely to be refused.

How We Approached The Project

Berrys heritage, architecture and planning teams worked to design and put forward a proposal that would have a minimal impact on the Site and surrounding heritage. Our Architect, Tom Fenton, designed a scheme of A-framed tree houses to blend into the existing woodland boundary seamlessly.

Our in-house heritage team fed into the design to ensure that the associated facilities and surrounding landscaping did not draw further attention to the holiday let, preventing them from drawing attention away from the neighbouring world heritage site and conservation areas.

How We Achieved The Project

A Heritage Impact Assessment accompanied the proposal to document the strategies that were put in place and assess if any harm would result from the proposal. Following positive conversations with Shropshire Council’s Conservation Team, further information was provided to demonstrate that there was no intervisibility between the World Heritage Site and the proposal even in winter when the covering woods were at their thinnest. This positive dialogue resulted in the application’s approval, with plans to build out the holiday lets in the near future.