AN APPLICATION has been submitted for change of use after planning permission was granted to change the former maternity ward in Ludlow into units for small businesses.

Shropshire Council allowed planners to create new units for small businesses, and now unit two has applied from a change of use.

The unit is occupied by Hundred House Coffee Limited.

As well as being a coffee roastery, the unit provides work spaces for people to rent desks, and is also planning on running events as a co-working creative space.

The planning application says: "We are setting up a co-work creative space. We currently have a class E which covers our activities however we would like to be able to host workshops and small, low-key events along with selling some items online for pick-up from site."

The pre-application advice on the application says: "From talking to you it transpires that the retail shop is in fact more of a pick-up point for online orders. Therefore a formal change of use would be required from class E to class B8. 

"With reference to the events space which you indicated would include workshops, a film club, listening events (live or recorded music but to a small group of 50), reading groups, writer's workshops, and craft classes at weekends. This would not fall within class E and is more likely to fall under use class F1 or F2."

NHS chiefs decided to close the maternity ward in 2017, in a decision that was met with anger.