Cautious welcome for 400 Market Drayton homes plan

People in Market Drayton have given a cautious welcome to plans to build more than 400 homes in the town over the next 14 years.

At a drop-in session at the Festival Drayton Centre, concerns were raised about the siting of some of the proposed developments and the loss of green space. But most people who went to see the plans in more detail yesterday agreed that the town did need more homes.

Sarah O'Connor said it was a shock to see how much building was planned.

She said: "I didn't know quite so much development was going to be going on, seeing that last bit of grass between the town and the bypass go is sad.

"Personally I think the town has been over developed already and we still can't keep our high street shops open. It doesn't seem to be the answer.

"It is a shame to keep losing the green space."

Shropshire Council, which is consulting on its vision for the town's development up to 2026, has earmarked 324 homes off Rush Lane, 76 homes on land between Croft Way and Greenfields Lane and 16 hectares of new employment land at Sych Farm beside the town's Adderley Road industrial estate.

Ben Clark, from Adderley, thought the proposals would benefit his area.

He said: "In our village they are talking about 25 buildings, it sounds reasonable to me. We have schools that are struggling a bit so it would be good to get people to fill places."

But one resident, who did not want to be named, said there were better sites.

He said: "I am not worried about the homes but the areas, going into a greenfield site when you have redundant land near Muller."

Glyn Hardy, a resident who went to see the proposals, said: "I have no concerns as long as there is cheaper housing for younger people.

"It doesn't matter what we think though, they will still be built."

By Dani Wozencroft