Hundreds speak out on Bridgnorth homes plans
Around 250 residents packed a public meeting on the future housing needs for Bridgnorth and surrounding villages.
Fears about the amount and cost of new homes earmarked for Stanmore, plans to re-configure its country park and chopping down trees, increased traffic, infrastructure, and pressure on community services were among the issues raised at the meeting.
Under Shropshire Council's 20-year local plan review 1,500 new homes are being proposed for Bridgnorth and surrounding villages with sites already found for 500, but space for about 900 is still needed.
The target land includes sites at Stanmore, a former RAF base, which would become an expanded village with about 800 dwellings, sites in Ditton Priors and Alveley.
The council also wants to allocate 70 acres of employment land, with sites still needed for 40 acres.
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But at a packed public consultation meeting held at Bridgnorth's Castle Hall many residents were critical of the proposals which they claimed would be a strain on the area's roads and services.
Karen Howard, of Russell Close, Stanmore, asked: "What are the exceptional circumstances that justifies taking up greenbelt land at Stanmore?"
The council's planning policy & strategy manager Adrian Cooper replied that so far Stanmore was the best known option.
He replied: "We are looking at the allocations that will allow this level of growth in Bridgnorth. You may have a different view. This is why we need comments from you.
"You know the area. If you think we're missing something tell us."
Update
Mr Cooper said: "The purpose of the meeting is to update the plans. Government requirements are changing and the previous plan is now five years out of date.
"The council is half way through the process.This the first chance that we will have had to see what the outcome might look like. It's important to note that it's not set in stone and things might change. It's not a full draft of the plans."
Mr Cooper said that land from job creation must be allocated under the urban focussed plan. And he added that other issues had been highlighted in the regional green belt review taking in the area south of the A5 and east of the River Severn in Shropshire.
"There is an urgent need for us to address housing cost particularly for people earning local wages. People are finding it difficult to access housing in the Bridgnorth area.
"A need for more hotel and leisure facilities as also come out of that consultation. Traffic management would be a part of the planning process. the main issue is how Shropshire Council works with people to support this growth."
The county needs to plan for 28,000 properties by 2036 with 18,000 of that figure already accounted for by major housing developments given the green light in Shifnal, Oswestry and Shrewsbury.
Meetings are being held across the county and consultation closes on February 8.
