Ruling due on 500-homes plan at Telford's former Maxell factory site

The outline application for 540 homes at the former Maxell factory site at Apley Wood has been recommended for approval by officers ahead of a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee on Wednesday.

The plans were put on hold by councillors at last month's meeting due to concerns about a lack of school places in the area and gridlocked roads if the development went ahead.

But planning officers say both local education experts and highways officials have addressed the previous concerns.

Campaigners had hoped a revised application would include plans to build a primary school and fewer homes – but that has not happened.

More than 200 people have objected to the plans put forward by J Ross Developments, which will also include a supermarket and possibly a pharmacy.

A statement to planners from the Schools Organisation Service said the Maxell development was expected to yield about 150 primary pupils and 86 secondary pupils. It said nearby Apley Wood Primary School was currently full but about 50 per cent of its pupils came from outside its catchment area - meaning those places would be filled by in-area students should the Maxell site go-ahead

It said there was scope for expansion of Millbrook Primary School as well as the Charlton School and Ercall Wood Technology College, adding it believd both neighbouring primary and secondary schools would cope with the additional pupils.

Meanwhile a statement from the Highways Agency said it was satisfied developers would contribute towards an improvement of the Shawbirch roundabout as part of the application being approved and other road improvements in the area were also due to take place.

Plastics manufacturer Maxell moved its final 70 staff out of the factory in December to a new site on the nearby Hortonwood industrial estate. Developers now want to demolish the old factory and build 540 homes on the site.

The application also includes plans for a local shopping centre which will include a supermarket and possibly a pharmacy.

But more than 200 people have objected to the bid by J Ross Developments, expressing fears around the lack of existing school places in the immediate area, as well as the possible knock-on effect for traffic, especially for people trying to get to the town's Princess Royal Hospital.

The firm says the "high quality" plans would lead to 125 jobs being added to the 160 it had already created in the town.

Maxell was launched in the 1960s, and has had a base in Telford for around 30 years.

The company, which previously specialised in video and audio tape and batteries, has spent the last 10 years shifting its operations into new areas of the plastics industry.

The site is currently occupied by Elements Europe and Elements UK.

Next week's meeting will take place at 5pm at the Whitehouse Hotel, Wellington.