An appeal into a decision to refuse planning for a crematorium in Nesscliffe will be heard in public next March.

Plans for the new site between Shrewsbury and Oswestry – designed to take off pressure on Shrewsbury's crematorium – were first deferred and then refused last summer for a new crematorium, but now an appeal will now be heard.

Last year Westerleigh Group submitted plans to Shropshire Council to build the crematorium to the north of Nesscliffe and were refused.

In October, Westerleigh had appealed with planning inspectorate to schedule an appeal to take place by written representation.

The planning inspectorate has now arranged that a hearing will take place at the Shirehall in Shrewsbury.

Officers from Shropshire Council’s planning department recommended the crematorium for approval but when put towards the councillors the plans were deferred and then refused.

Concerns about the site included the location, the smell from nearby chicken farms and noise from the Nesscliffe Army Camp and its helicopters.

The crematorium would be for both Shrewsbury and Oswestry.

Local parish councils and the Ministry of Defence were against the proposal but local funeral directors and the NHS were in favour of the plans because of ‘capacity issues at existing crematoria'.

The plans will now be heard at a public hearing on March 11 in the Ludlow Room at Shirehall at 10am.