150 home scheme at Caterpillar factory site in Shrewsbury revealed

Agents acting for Caterpillar held a community consultation session recently to explain how a parcel of land at the Lancaster Road site in Shrewsbury could be transformed into 150 houses, green spaces and roads.

The site is currently used for car parking and also houses a building that would be demolished under the scheme. Further plans to improve car parking, remodelling the office and welfare buildings and creating a new courtyard and reception area has also been proposed.

Formal planning applications have yet to be submitted to Shropshire Council but an Environmental Impact Assessment has been lodged with the planning department.

Councillor Ioan Jones, deputy mayor and representative of the Harlescott ward on Shrewsbury Town Council, said: "I am in favour of this development but I, and a great number of residents in the area, do have some concerns over traffic. The area is already subject to congestion and this would only add to it. Traffic would need to be sorted out one way or the other.

"Caterpillar wants to do improvements to their site and this will generate money for development within Caterpillar. It is a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand you have my concerns about traffic and on the other there is the bonus that reinvestment will bring. I am concerned that if this is not done then what would be the future of Caterpillar?"

Councillor Peter Nutting, from Shrewsbury Town Council's planning committee, said: "This is a brownfield site and under government guidelines it will be very difficult to resist building on the site. It is more about how we manage that housing rate, when and if we say yes or no. I shall be looking at this and at access on to Mount Pleasant Road."

Richard Cooke from WYG, the agents acting for Caterpillar, said: "Caterpillar are considering the submission of two planning applications, including detailed application for improvement works on the retained employment land, including a relocated 275-space car park, remodelled welfare and office building, new landscaped courtyard space and a prominent new reception area. This is part of a wider strategy to update the site, and follows recent major investments internally on new machining and salvage technology, and R&D.

"An outline planning application would seek to establish the principle of the southern part of the site being used for housing. Outline permission for up to 150 new homes is being sought that will also help the council to meet its housing targets.

"Pre-application discussions are continuing with council officers and others."