Ex-High Sheriff warns homes plan near Oswestry amounts to urban sprawl
The former High Sheriff of Shropshire says that building homes on land between Oswestry and the neighbouring village of Morda would have a devastating effect on one the main approaches to the town.
John Abram wrote to Oswestry Town Council on behalf of the Morda Residents Group, which is objecting to a large piece of land, The Cottams, being included in Shropshire Council's SAMdev planning blueprint for the future.
He said: "There can be no doubt that this proposed development constitutes urban sprawl. To develop this field is to remove the final trace of green space – prime agricultural grazing land – that separates the town of Oswestry from the village of Morda."
Speaking at last night's full council meeting which was deciding on its response to the draft SAMdev document, Christine Abram said the land was not within the Oswestry Town Council boundary but part of Oswestry Rural Parish Council.
"The Cottams land was removed from the local plan in 2000 and things are exactly the same today," she said.
Planning consultant Brian Smith, who ran a seminar for town councillors earlier this month, said the consensus had been that a certain number of sites had to be identified for housing for Oswestry.
"In view of the importance of the Hill Fort it was decided that the town council's concerns over the Cottams site were not so high," he said.
The town council made no objection to land on Alexandra Road, the former Leisure Centre, the Richard Burbidge site and at Mile End – the urban extension, to be zoned for housing.
Mayor, Councillor Chris Schofield, said: "We have to be real here. Our young people are going to grow up and they need houses to live in."
Councillor Cynthia Hawksley said councillor had been very concerned about losing the green belt between Oswestry and Morda.
