THE future over the only remaining building at Schweppes’ Malvern Water bottling plant in Herefordshire remains uncertain after a council decision.

There were plans for the Grade II-listed building to be turned into a house, but Herefordshire Council planners said no.

Most of the former bottling factory in Colwall, near Ledbury, was demolished after it closed in 2011, with a housing estate built in its place, but the tank house remained.

The tank house, built around 1892, is two-storey in height but there is only one level inside due to its former use as a storage facility for a large water tank.

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There were plans for the Edwardian building to be turned into a two-bedroom house, but planners had two concerns over the project.

Recommending the scheme was refused planning permission, case officer Amber Morris said while there would be no objection to the principle of converting the Tank House into a home, some changes were not acceptable.

Particularly, she felt that some of the proposed changes to the windows, louvre vents and creation of a second floor could not be adequately justified as per the requirement in the national planning policy framework.

The framework sets out government planning policies for England and how they are expected to be applied.

She also said that with no off-street parking, the idea was also contrary to local neighbourhood development plans.

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"The application is accordingly recommended for refusal," she concluded, with development manager Andrew Banks refusing permission.

A design and access statement, submitted with initial plans to Herefordshire Council, said: “The solid brickwork walls are part rendered and part tile hung, and are largely plain in appearance, a stark contrast to the elaborate roof and heavily embellished south-east elevation.

“The structure has a steeply pitched hipped and gabled roof covered in plain clay tiles. At the centre is an elaborate timber louvered lantern with a pyramidal lead roof and weathervane.”

As part of applicant Dr Christopher Allen’s plans, the statement said the house, would have been made two-storey, with double-glazed windows and roof lights.

The area under the verandah and other outside space would have also been repaved.