SHROPSHIRE Council has refused planning permission for extension and improvements to a garage in Whixhall citing the "total loss" of a heritage asset.

The applicant, Spencer Collins, wanted to put in extensions and improvements to an existing garage in 3 Maltkiln Lane, Whixhall.

The application had received opposition from Whixhall Parish Council who were concerned about overdevelopment and out of character scale.

Shropshire Council Conservation also objected to the plans saying the building was 'incongruous' with the historic rural character.

A spokesman added: "From a heritage perspective, the building still remains incongruous with the overall historic rural character, appearance and setting of the adjacent heritage assets i.e. the canal, the Malt Kiln Lane cottages etc.

"Therefore, we object."

Tracey Darke, the assistant director of economy and place for Shropshire Council, called the siting, scale and design inappropriate.

Ms Darke added: "The total loss of the heritage asset that would result from the proposed development would represent an unacceptable level of harm to the significance of the historic structure with any benefit being purely private and therefore not sufficient to outweigh this harm.

"Moreover, the excessive scale of the building would undermine its ancillary relationship with the non-designated semi-detached cottages and thereby in addition cause unacceptable harm to their historic significance."

Ms Darke also said: "The siting, scale and design would be inappropriate as it would appear unduly predominant in relation to the modest host dwelling it would serve and not be in-keeping with its ancillary function.

"The building would furthermore create an unacceptable level of visual harm within the immediate street scene and wider landscape due to its scale and in the absence of any effective screening.

"The design aligned with the scale would be akin to be an independent dwelling and as such would appear alien when set in the garden of a modest cottage."