Shropshire Council may get £2m windfall over plans for 230 Shrewsbury homes

Persimmon Homes have resubmitted plans to build off Shillingston Drive in the Battlefield area.

A company director said today the area and the local authority would benefit financially from the development getting the go-ahead. Council bosses said today the application would be judged "on its merits".

Tim Brickley, director in charge for Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said the scheme would create more than 60 jobs and also add to the local authority's coffers for years to come.

"A number of jobs will be created by the development, equating to 33 construction jobs, 12 retail sector positions and a potential 19 jobs in the local leisure section," he said.

"Shropshire Council can also expect a New Homes Bonus payment of £2,158,500 and the development will generate £359,750 in council tax revenue per year."

The New Homes Bonus is a government scheme to promote housing development.

Ian Kilby, planning services manager with Shropshire Council, said: "As with any planning application, this application will be considered on its merits, taking into account responses received during the statutory consultation period, and in line with national and local planning policy."

The original plans – first submitted in July 2011 – were for 250 homes but attracted hundreds of complaints from local residents.

Concerns were raised about building next to an area of woodland known as Lion Coppice, as well as worries about the amount of extra traffic the scheme would create along Shillingston Drive going up to the busy Battlefield Road.

Revised proposals have now been put in which reduce the number of properties to 230.

A new plan has been drawn up including an extended eco-park on the site's southern boundary, a children's play area and several ponds.

The revised application comes after plans were unveiled last week to build 550 homes west of Hanwood Road in Radbrook, stretching up to the bottom of Mytton Oak Road, close to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Shropshire Council is aiming to build 6,500 new houses in Shrewsbury between 2006 and 2026. While about 2,500 have been built or given planning permission, 4,000 new properties are still required to meet the housing target.