PLANS to redevelop a Wem pub into a retail outlet with apartments have been revealed.

Applicants, Mr G Lewis, Mrs N Rutter and Mrs J Page want to redevelop the Old Post Office in High Street and buildings to its rear and they hope it will increase footfall in the town.

They submitted the plans to Shropshire Council earlier this month.

A previous application to redevelop the pub was refused by Shropshire Council in February last year over fears of overdevelopment.

A design and access statement was prepared by architect, Bleazard and Galetta LLP.

The statement said: "The proposal is to demolish the garages outbuildings and then redevelop the site for domestic use.

"The continuation of the Old Post Office as a pub is already compromised by the lack of available internal space and an outdoor space that is directly adjacent or around the pub such as that which exists with the Castle, and White Lion to name a few.

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"The pub already has a flat above it with separate access currently used as landlord accommodation, so the proposal is to retain the ground floor space and inner rooms as retail space with storage, retaining a rear access for deliveries and the front access for public.

"The combined changes would then not be at odds with each other and provide a mix of accommodation in a town centre environment which will bring more footfall to the facilities Wem already has, but will hopefully expand upon in the near future as Whitchurch has.

"The accommodation will be one and two bedroom apartments which will help provide much-needed low cost housing right in the centre of Wem with amenity space, provision for waste and collection and parking availability right opposite providing a level of affordable accommodation not currently being built in Wem but much needed."

The statement concluded: "The Old Post Office has only been a pub for the last 20 years and in that time the requirements for a pub have changed.

"So reverting the ground floor for retail provides a viable and interesting building for this use. 

"It frees the land behind which is currently not part of the high street or primary shopping area to be redeveloped for much needed affordable accommodation without taking green field sites to achieve it.

"The accommodation would then be part of bringing people back into the town centre and using the shops and facilities."