THE NEW owners of Bewdley’s historic Ribbesford House will need to start from scratch in their bid to bring it back to life after an application to convert it into 22 homes was rejected.
Wyre Forest District Council planning committee’s rejection of the planning application comes just weeks after the iconic building, which has links to Rudyard Kipling, came under new ownership.
Ribbesford House, which was previously owned by the property guru and social media personality Samuel Leeds, was sold to Solanki Holdings Ltd last month for a reported £450,000.
The application was submitted by Samuel Leeds back in 2023 and has been awaiting a decision since May 2025.
The application looked to reconfigure Ribbesford House to create 22 residential units, as well as associated demolition, restoration, landscaping, car parking and reinstatement works.
Objections to the plans came from organisations such as Bewdley Civic Society and Historic England, as well as the local Highways Authority.
Planning officers said that, while it supported the principle of the use of the Ribbesford House as residential apartments, the proposed housing mix should clearly reflect the needs of the Bewdley
Housing Needs Survey and should not amount to unacceptable harm to the heritage asset or its wider rural setting.
Officers added: “Despite a slight reduction in the overall intensity of the scheme, the development continues to represent an over-intensive and unacceptable use of Ribbesford House as a high-density housing scheme comprising mainly one-bedroom apartments, in a rural and unsustainable area.
“Furthermore, the level of submitted detail required to support the scheme continues to be inadequate and unacceptable.
“In the absence of sufficient detail and evidence to justify the works in its layout and intensity, Officers cannot be certain that the scheme would not represent substantial harm to Ribbesford House and its setting, nor can we be confident that harm would not occur in terms of residential amenity, trees and biodiversity, highways or drainage.”
Last month, the chairman of Solanki Holdings UK, Nirad Solanki, revealed his intention to carefully bring the estate back into long-term use while respecting its historic character.
Mr Solanki said early concepts included luxury residential accommodation within the main house, but potential commercial uses across the wider estate would be explored to involve the community and for people to enjoy the surroundings.
Ribbesford House was originally built in the mid-16th century and has been visited by former Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, ‘The Jungle Book’ writer Rudyard Kipling and General Charles de Gaulle, who led the Free French against Nazi Germany.
The Standard contacted Solanki Holdings, asking if the rejected planning application would have been a consideration for them if accepted.
We were awaiting reply when we went to press.
