Shropshire Star

Designs for 200 Ludlow homes revealed

Final designs for more than 200 houses on the outskirts of Ludlow have been revealed.

Published

The plans, if approved, would mean work could begin on building 213 homes on a site to the north of Ludlow, between Bromfield Road and the A49.

A convenience store and public open space are also included in the proposals. A footbridge over the railway line will link the main housing development to the retail unit site.

The controversial scheme was first rejected by Shropshire Council's South Planning Committee in July 2014, and was revised and re-submitted only to be rejected again in February 2015.

It was approved on appeal later that year following a two-day planning inspector's inquiry.

A condition of approval was that the finalised plans were submitted within three years, and as the deadline drew nearer there was speculation over whether it would be met.

But a reserved matters application has now gone in just days before the three-year cut off.

Objectors have consistently raised concerns over a footbridge which was initially proposed to link the development site with Fishmore View. The developers agreed, after the scheme was approved on appeal, that this aspect of the plans would be shelved.

'Unacceptable'

But planning officers have now recommended the contentious bridge be re-instated, though this has not been included in the reserved matters application.

Local member Councillor Andy Boddington said: "The principle of housing development on this site is accepted. It is now a question of making it as good as possible.

"A suggestion from planning officers that the footbridge to Fishmore View should be reinstated in the plans is unacceptable."

The application includes 28 affordable homes, which does not meet Shropshire Council's usual requirement of 15 per cent affordable dwellings for developments in Ludlow. Councillor Boddington said this was his "main concern" and he would push the developers to meet the 15 per cent target by including a further four affordable homes.

"This is a big scheme and there are lot of discussions to be had over the details," added Councillor Boddington.

"I am not expecting the plans to be approved for some months because there are many details to be resolved and several specialists to be consulted.

"I will be asking to meet the developers and planners to discuss the details of their plans in the next few weeks.

"I will be provisionally calling the application into the South Planning Committee for decision, but I hope we can resolve concerns without a committee reference."