Planning approved for new retirement living scheme at former Dun Cow pub site

24th February 2023

Telford & Wrekin Council has joined forces with development company Build Fifty5 Living and its contractors to celebrate a long-awaited planning milestone which has been approved for the former Dun Cow pub site in Dawley.

The site, which closed in 2008 and which has been derelict ever since, now has the green light to be transformed into a flagship socially affordable retirement living scheme by the Telford-based project management and development company. 

The complex will offer superior living accommodation for residents as well as fantastic indoor and outdoor amenities for their own enjoyment. It is being built over two floors with ample car parking spaces and set in attractive and landscaped gardens with courtyard.

Importantly, the new building, with views of The Wrekin, accommodates retired residents at the heart of the community adjacent to the high street of Dawley, which will also further support the shops.

Kieran Danby, director of BuildFifty5 Living says: “This is a really exciting time for all of us involved in the new Duce Drive development as we see planning permission granted for a complex that will not only benefit the local community, but also bring jobs into the area too. 

“It’s been a long time coming for a piece of land which has been derelict for so many years, and which has seen previous developers turned down. 

“With Duce Drive, we have worked closely with the local authority to agree what could be done with this location and very much identified the needs and wants of the local area.

“This is a crucial part in how we dare to be different in our approach to sourcing and securing challenging locations and transforming them in places which we know will benefit local towns and villages.”

Councillor Richard Overton (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Enforcement and Transport said: “We are really pleased to see the planning milestone achieved for this site which has been derelict for 15 years.

“We are excited to see this project start to take shape now and this retirement facility is all part of our commitment to create new and affordable homes for our residents across the borough.

"Once complete this will be a fantastic place to live for retired members of the community and the development will also bring a large site back into use.”

Construction work on the development will start later this year.