16,000 new homes planned for Shropshire

A massive plan to shape the future of Shropshire over the next 14 years – including proposals to build 16,000 new homes – was unveiled today.

Shropshire Council has just taken the wraps off a vision of how the county will develop and grow by the year 2026. And the blueprint – which has been two years in the making – has now gone out for public consultation.

Local people have three months to have a say on the plans – drawn up in consultation with town and parish councils – including bids for 330 extra homes for Wem and 602 for Whitchurch.

The proposals are part of the ongoing Site Allocations and Management of Development plan, known as SAMDev. Full details can be seen at Shropshire Council's website, shropshire.gov.uk.

Councillor Mal Price, cabinet member for strategic planning, said some areas had chosen not to have any development, although he felt more would opt in.

Areas allowing building will be in line for extra benefits under the new Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which allocates money from new homes for local use on improvements.

Councillor Price said Shropshire was leading the way on the Government's localism and planning policy changes.

"All the sites and all the figures being put forward, have been generated by the local communities," he said.

But he said there were areas where sites suggested for development were being opposed by residents and singled out Berwick Grange, in his own Shrewsbury ward as one area of contention.

Some 250 properties have been proposed and many residents oppose the plan.

A plan will also be drawn up to identify and develop gypsy and traveller sites.

The consultation period closes on June 8.