A husband has been refused permission to build a parking space in front of his home to help assist his disabled wife as planners fear it would "be harmful to the character" of the place they live.

John Flattery submitted a planning application to Telford and Wrekin Council to create a 2.5 metre-wide driveway at the front of his cottage within the historic Ironbridge Gorge site in Shropshire with a 900mm pedestrian path either side for disabled access.

He also applied to re-lay the existing paved area to access the front of his home to provide a "safe, level access route", as stated in the planning application.

The couple's mid-terrace property is registered on the council's Buildings of Local Interest list and sits in the Ironbridge Gorge Conservation Area, which is on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) list of World Heritage Sites.

Kevin Twigger, from KRT Associates Ltd, said in the planning application that around 40 per cent of grassed area at the front of the property on Woodside would be removed as part of the proposals.

The design and access statement submitted as part of the application read: "The proposed materials are in-keeping with the visual appearance of the surrounding cottages, the selection of grasscrete for the driveway provides a durable, well-drained aesthetically pleasing option than traditional asphalt or concrete driveways."

It added that the proposed changes were "necessary" to "assist the applicants disabled wife to access the dwelling safely".

"Woodside is a narrow one-way lane with no opportunity for safe accessible on-street car parking for disabled individuals," the statement read.

KRT Associates/ Telford and Wrekin Council

"The carefully designed proposals ensure that the visual and environment impacts are minimised whilst providing necessary adaptions to meet the disabled occupants needs to enhance their ability to live independently in their home."

Planners at Telford and Wrekin Council however rejected the application saying it would "disrupt the visual rhythm" of the row of terrace.

In the application decision notice published on July 31, the local authority said: "It is considered that the proposal would create the partial loss of green amenity space and the subdivision of the historic frontage, disrupting the visual rhythm, cohesion, uniformity and character of the row of terrace and would be harmful to the character and setting of the building of local interest.

"Whilst it is acknowledged that the improved access would be beneficial to the applicant, this is not outweighed by the harm to the Outstanding Universal Value of the lronbridge Gorge World Heritage Site and Severn Gorge Conservation Area."

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The application also received a number of objections from neighbours.

One woman said: "Whilst I sympathise with parking difficulties many local residents have, the proposed plans alter the appearance of the whole row very significantly, with vehicles being parked almost right to the front of the property."

The Gorge Parish Council also objected to the application.

It commented: "The proposal is not in keeping with the surroundings."

Another neighbour however showed support for the plans.

"As the adjoining house to this property I am in total support of this work being carried out," they said.

"Safe and inclusive accessibility to your own property should not even be in question, in my opinion."

Flattery was told by the council he could appeal to the Planning Inspectorate over the refusal of his application.

Ironbridge Gorge is home to the worlds first bridge made of iron, built in the 18th century.

It is a symbol of the Industrial Revolution and is classed by UNESCO as a site of Outstanding Universal Value.