Telford council row erupts over bid to fight plans for 290 homes in Wellington

Despite a ruling by the government's Planning Inspector to permit the development on Haygate Fields,

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That means taking the fight to the High Court – a decision opposed by Tories on the council who say money spent on the legal fight would be better off being used on under-pressure services.

Telford's Conservative Party today called for an extraordinary meeting to be held after the announcement, demanding the right to debate the decision.

Tory leader Councillor Andrew Eade says the planning inspector who approved the Haygate Road development at Wellington stressed the desirability of local planning authorities to have up-to-date development plans in place.

He says the council is now counting the cost of not having a proper plan, in place, addingMr Eade, ward member for Lilleshall, said: "Since 2011 we have continually warned the Labour administration of the urgency of putting a local development plan in place, but for two years they have sat back and done nothing.

"This mess is entirely of the council's own making and we are now faced with the prospect of a huge bill for a high court action which may or may not succeed."

"We have been let down by local politicians who do not seem to understand their own policies and the implications of their actions or inaction and it now seems that the only alternative we have is to watch developers run wild across the borough or spend cash on legal bills which would otherwise be used for providing local services."

The development, proposed on the land by Wellington Cricket Club, off Haygate Road, has faced much criticism from local residents who formed the Save Haygate Fields Group in a bid to fight the proposals.

Hundreds of people had signed petitions to try to stop the development going ahead at the site, which is near to the town's cricket club and known to locals as Haygate Fields.

And the Haygate Fields Group even fundraised to pay for a barrister to help them fight developers.

Telford & Wrekin Council has defended its decision to fight the plans.

Council spokesman Russell Griffin said the decision was made because the council takes its responsibility to plan for future housing growth "very seriously".

Tories on the council say the ruling Labour group did not act quickly enough to set up a local plan that made clear where development should be allowed and where green space should be kept.

But Mr Griffin said: "The new Telford & Wrekin Local Plan has involved extensive consultation with stakeholders and residents and consequently sets out proposals for the development of 15,500 homes in locations that will support and protect local communities and ensure the managed growth of the town.

"In the light of this, it is clearly appropriate that the council challenges decisions which it considers are wrong, which threaten this managed growth and which could potentially damage important areas of countryside.

"For these reasons, and in the interests of our residents, we have decided to challenge the decision of the government's Planning Inspector to allow proposals for up to 290 homes off Haygate Road.

"We firmly believe we have a robust five-year land supply and that our planning policies are relevant, helpful and necessary to protect our most important green spaces while providing opportunities for new homes and jobs across our borough."

Last month inspector David Wildsmith upheld an appeal by Gladman Developments against the council's decision to refuse planning permission for the homes.