Telford 300-home development gets green light despite residents' fears

The mixed development of private and rented accommodation will see a total of 329 properties built on a 37-acre brownfield site near Granville Country Park off Donnington Wood Way.

It has been put forward by an application partnership comprising Telford & Wrekin Council's housing company Nuplace Ltd, Lovell Partnerships Ltd and social landlord Wrekin Housing Group.

The council said the scheme would serve the needs of the community and was in line with its housing strategy to ensure that all safe and appropriate housing was available for residents including dementia care and supported living units.

The scheme will be built by Lovell and feature 66 homes for Nuplace for private rent and 77 for open market sale from Lovell, along with a range of properties for Wrekin Housing Group.

Solar panels and electric car charging points will also be available.

At the heart of the development will be a new 'community hub' providing café and bistro facilities, space to work with free wifi as well as learning suites which can be used by schools and community groups.

There will be a new children’s play area which will links into enhanced footpaths and Granville Nature Reserve which will ensure the development provides facilities for the new estate as well as existing residents in neighbouring Donnington and Muxton.

Ecology

Councillor David Wright, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “This promises to be another excellent development for the borough which will deliver against many of the council’s strategic objectives relating to housing and our green agenda.

“Regenerating the site and meeting the local housing need will however be carefully balanced with the need to enhance and protect this precious, ecologically rich environment. This is a very special location and we want to make sure it remains a home for nature as much as it will become a home for local people.

“Nuplace is a huge success story for the council, with more than 1,000 people living in Nuplace homes across the borough, and we are delighted to be working in partnership with building partner, Lovell and The Wrekin Housing Group to bring forward another quality development.”

The Wrekin Housing Group's development director Simon Thompson said: “This is a really important scheme for Donnington Wood. The team have been working hard on this for several months and I’m pleased that Telford & Wrekin Council have approved this application.

“We are really pleased to be able to invest in Telford and Wrekin with new homes that offer housing choices for everybody.”

Lovell's regional manager Stuart Penn said: “We’re delighted that planning for Donnington Wood Way has been approved with 329 much-needed homes now on track to become a reality. The progression of this site, alongside Telford & Wrekin Council, Nuplace and Wrekin Housing Group, reflects the potential of what can be achieved when organisations work in partnership.”

Muxton residents raised concerns that the development would place a burden on existing facilities.

Construction work is due to commence in Summer 2021 and continue until early 2025.

The council was awarded £3.3 million of Marches Local Enterprise Partnership funding under the Stronger Communities Programme, towards the creation of access roads off Donnington Wood Way.