Jobs boost with 230-home Shrewsbury development

Persimmon Homes was given the green light to go ahead with plans for the development at Shillingston Drive by Shropshire Council's Central Planning Committee.

The homes will be built next to the existing Berwick Grange estate.

Tim Brickley, director in charge of Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said the development would create "nearly 700 jobs" to boost the local economy.

Mr Brickley also said that the homes being built on the site would be two, three, four, and five bedroom.

He said: "We are delighted that we have obtained a detailed planning consent which now allows us to move forward with our plans to start work on this development, which will be called Archery Fields, and aim to launch the site by the end of July.

"We will be building two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, providing a real diversity of house types to suit all needs. In turn, this development will also create nearly 700 jobs boosting the local economy."

Construction of the project is expected to begin in July or August with the houses being put up for sale from next month.

Mr Brickley said he expected the first homes on the development to be completed by "late 2015, early 2016".

He also said that the project would take three to four years to complete if demand for the houses is as expected.

Concerns were raised by the planning committee over there only being one access to the site - which means only one access for around 500 homes.

Councillor Mal Price, Shropshire Councillor for Battlefield, had submitted a letter which stated: "I am extremely disappointed to see that Persimmon Homes has not included a second access point to the north of the site.

"If this is allowed to go ahead with only one access it will be 500 houses on a dead end cul-de-sac - one way in and one way out. You cannot think of another estate in Shrewsbury or Shropshire where this is allowed."

The site will have an emergency access to the north and Councillor Peter Nutting said it would not be unusual to have one access and would not be a particular issue.

He said: "It happens in lots of other areas."

Richard Hobson, speaking on behalf of Persimmon Home, said: "On the point of access it was thoroughly debated at the outline stage, I do not want to open that debate again."