Extension for public consultation over snubbed Shifnal homes development

Bosses at Nurton Developments were disappointed after Shropshire Council left out their proposals for the Monument Park Garden Village, in Shifnal, from the county's local plan review.

The company has since launched its own online consultation which has now been extended until April 30.

Details of the principles of the development and the vision behind it including road improvement and community facilities can be viewed on the Upton Lane scheme's website.

The council’s preferred design is for a site at Lodge Hill featuring a new bypass, an employment site of at least 16 hectares of land and a further 1,500 homes with greenbelt land being set aside for part of it.

But Nurton's said its plan for Upton Lane was a more logical option, adjacent to other residential development sites and close to the proposed new employment site.

Nurton's development director Ian Willicombe said: “This is the chance for the community to give their views on the proposals and it is important that we get as much feedback as possible so that we can take on board the community’s ideas.

“To say ‘no development in the green belt’ is not an option. If Shifnal is to meet its future needs in both type and quantity of housing, there will be a need to encroach onto the green belt. There are no brownfield or green field sites available to meet the town’s future 20-year needs and thus green belt sites come into consideration.

“Thus, this is the opportunity for the public to give its views on the location and design principles of any additional housing. Nurton is happy to lay all its cards on the table so that Shifnal gets the best option for development.

“Unfortunately, the council prefers to withhold all the technical information relating to the different sites, depriving taxpayers and citizens of valuable and necessary information to make any reasoned and robust decision.

“The Examination in Public (EiP) in the spring will be the opportunity for all parties to consider this information and challenge the council’s reasoning for the quantity and siting of new housing in Shifnal up to 2038.

“Thus we encourage people to submit their views to our consultation, appreciating that ‘no green belt development’ is not an option and without a local plan, which is the focus of the EiP, developers will be able to submit planning applications at their will.”

Shropshire Council spokesman Andy Morris said: “The council has completed its statutory Regulation 19 stage consultation into the Local Plan Review, which includes development proposal for Shifnal up to 2038 and identifies additional ‘safeguarded’ land for potential development beyond 2038.

“The council is now assessing responses to this important consultation, and will now be seeking to submit the plan for examination in July, subject to council approval. The council does not accept the accusations made by Nurton Developments regarding the release of technical information.”

Campaign group Shifnal Matters has criticised the Lodge Hill plan on grounds that it would risk a merge of Telford and Shifnal and highways concerns relating to site access and the closeness to St Andrew's Primary School, Park Lane.

To participate visit the website https://www.monumentparkgardenvillage.com/