44 affordable homes planned for Telford site

An application by Wrekin Housing Trust and the Homes and Communities Agency for 44 homes at Chillcott Drive in Madeley is recommended for approval when it is considered by Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee on May 21.

The development, off Bridgnorth Road, would include eight one-bedroom, two-person flats; 10 one-bedroom, two-person house;, 22 two-bedroom, four-person houses and four three-bedroom, five-person houses.

The 36 houses would include car parking and private gardens and the flats would have parking spaces and a communal garden.

All would be available on "affordable tenure" and would be allocated through the council's Choose Your Home list.

In his report to the committee, planning officer Matthew Thomas said: "The council's affordable housing department has welcomed the scheme put forward for 100 per cent affordable housing as, amongst other issues, it will help to meet identified local housing needs and assist those who wish to downsize their accommodation due to the impact of national welfare reform."

The site, which is next to the Chillcott Gardens care home, is about 1.99 hectares but the number of trees means only about one hectare is suitable for development.

Some of the woodland around the site forms part of the council's green network.

The report said that the site was suitable for housing because it was on the edge of the existing housing areas of Madeley.

The shops, church, library, doctors and dentist were within walking distance, as are John Randall Primary School and Nursery and the two secondary academies in Madeley.

The site is also very close to bus stops on Bridgnorth Road for easy travel into the centre of Telford.

There has been one objection to the plans, expressing concerns over the loss of green area and wildlife habitat, an increase in traffic and additional noise, potential loss of privacy, over-development of the site and the potential for the area to become a mess by attracting litter and rubbish.

If planning permission is granted, the developer would be expected to contribute more than £71,000 towards the cost of a play area nearby, woodland management and the treatment of infected ash trees.

The planning permission, if granted, would also include conditions covering a badger survey before work started, provision of bat and bird boxes and a pedestrian crossing across Bridgnorth Road.

The planning committee will meet at 6pm on May 21 in the Haybridge Restaurant at Telford College in Haybridge Road, Wellington.