Plans for 100 new homes in Shifnal move step closer

The plans, by Gemma Rawcliffe, are to build 105 homes on agricultural land east of Stone Drive in Shifnal.

Shropshire Council planning bosses have granted planning permission this week for the reserved matters, covering access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale relating to the development.

Mike Davies, planning case officer, said: “The proposal is for approval of reserved matters namely access, appearance, layout and scale pursuant to planning permission for 105 dwellings.

“This reserved matters submission relates to phase four of the development at Wolverhampton Road, Shifnal and includes 16 affordable dwellings.

“The site is predominantly agricultural land but also includes an area on its eastern side used for caravan storage.

“It is bordered by land to the north which includes the area that is the subject of the current reserved matters housing application, beyond which is the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury railway line.”

He added: “The town council has not expressed a view contrary to the officer recommendation and there has been no local member request for committee determination.

Local needs

“The application may therefore be determined in accordance with the council’s adopted scheme of delegation.

“One letter of objection has been received which opposes any further development on site until the footpath, direct link to the schools, beneath the railway, is implemented as promised by the applicant, in the original approved planning application.”

Mr Davies said the proposal falls under plans to increase the number of homes in the county.

He added: “The Shropshire core strategy sets out that 27,500 new homes, of which 9,000 will be affordable housing, will be required until 2026.

“Under policy it sets out that Shifnal and Albrighton will have development to meet local needs, respecting their location in the Green Belt with no changes to be made to greenbelt boundaries.

“The Site Allocations and Management of Development (SAMDev) Plan (2015) Policy sets out the Shifnal Town Development Strategy where it identifies that Shifnal will have a balanced development that provides a mix of housing, employment, facilities and services with around 1,250 dwellings and 5 hectares of employment development up to 2026.

“It also allocates land for housing development of which land to the north of Wolverhampton Road is allocated for the provision of 250 dwellings to include the provision of a town park and strategic pedestrian route to the railway underpass.

“This falls within the allocation for the land to the north of Wolverhampton Road.”