Fears Telford homes scheme will hurt A&E hopes

A number of councillors said building the homes at the former Maxell factory site at Apley could lead to more traffic in the area, potentially affecting ambulances and patients trying to reach the neighbouring hospital.

They fear it may also affect the hospital's chances of keeping its A&E unit, which is under review as part of the NHS Future Fit proposals looking at the way healthcare is provided in Shropshire.

The majority of councillors on Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee last night gave the go-ahead in principle to the 540-home development.

But fears were also raised that not enough had been done to alleviate concerns about a lack of school places in the area and gridlocked roads.

Kathy Else, on behalf of the applicants, said the outline proposal at this stage only represented a maximum number of houses.

She said highways experts had recognised planned improvements to surrounding roads would be sufficient for the increased population and the Schools Organisation Service had said nearby Millbrook Primary School, Charlton School and Ercall Wood Technology College could be expanded and the catchment areas redrawn.

But ward councillor Karen Blundell said: "Highways infrastructure is at capacity.

"If we are to secure our hospital's future, we do not want to affect the hospital's ability to deal with the growing population. We cannot continue to build homes in Telford without sufficient infrastructure in place to support them."

Councillor Nigel Dugmore said: "This gives more ammunition to those who are seeking to downgrade the PRH. This should be a price we are not prepared to pay."

Local resident Steve Warner told the committee there were concerns wildlife at Apley Woods would be disturbed, adding: "We are not opposing this development outright but seeking a more modest development through minimising the impact on Apley Woods."

But Councillor Alan Mackenzie said: "We have been pushed for the last X amount of months to use brownfield sites and this is one. I think it is rather well designed."

Meanwhile, two applications were approved by the committee which are part of the council's scheme to build and own houses to rent out. The proposals for 31 of the homes to be built at the junction of Stirchley Avenue and Randlay Avenue, in Randlay and 101 houses at the former Woodlands Primary School site, in Ironbridge Road, Madeley, were both given the go-ahead.