Plans to transform a Grade II listed, vacant former pottery factory in Stoke-on-Trent into new housing have been rejected by the council. 

The applicant, Diwan Property Development, wanted to convert the former Falcon Works factory, on Sturgess Street in Stoke, into eight new houses with associated parking and landscaping. 

The Falcon Works were built by William Henry Goss around 1870 but through the 1920's Goss suffered from depleted finances due to loss of trade and by 1930 the company was sold to Cauldron Potteries.

By the early 1980's the factory was being used for the manufacture of clothing and as a premises for bedding and an electrical factory. 

The building was eventually sold to the adjoining Portmeirion pottery who demolished the majority of the original buildings, with the exception of the two bottle ovens and the enamel and printing warehouse.

The developer wanted to build eight new houses as well as parking and landscaping (Diwan Property Development).

Because of the building's Grade II listed status, it would not be demolished but given a new purpose - for example the bottle kilns were going to be used as cycle storage. 

However this week, Stoke-on-Trent City Council rejected these plans. 

A decision notice states: "The proposed development, by reason of its design and layout, would fail to preserve or enhance the character and identity of the existing site and Grade II listed Falcon Works and would cause moderate harm to its character and setting."

The council also said that the buildings would provide "a poor quality of accommodation" and insufficient information had been provided regarding highways, odour impacts, noise impacts and biodiversity and wildlife. 

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