Housing developer issues affordable homes or roundabout ultimatum to Telford council
Planners will have to choose what is more important to the Crudgington area - a roundabout to replace a "notorious" crossroads or new affordable homes.
Housebuilder Shropshire Homes has submitted a planning application to Telford & Wrekin Council to create 57 new homes alongside its development at Crudgington Fields.
It is for phase three of the redevelopment of the former Dairy Crest site.
But Shropshire Homes has made it clear in its planning application to the council that there won't be enough money for it to pay for both the roundabout and to have affordable homes.
"Due to the cost of the roundabout and in order to make the site financially viable no affordable housing is proposed," Shropshire Homes says in its supporting documents with the planning application.
The plans include the a new roundabout and toucan crossing at the junction on to the A442 between Telford and Whitchurch, and the B5062 from Shrewsbury to Newport.
The Toucan crossing would be provided by May 2022 to the north of the proposed roundabout on the A442.
Andrew Sheldon, the land director for Shropshire Homes said the scheme would have two big benefits for the area.
He said: “Our proposed development will have two significant benefits for the community and surrounding areas.
"It will greatly improve the very difficult junction at Crudgington and will provide 57 much-needed homes for families and new homebuyers.”
The applicants have asked the council to grant permission to the scheme because it has been designed to provide an appropriate response, to the site to reflect it’s constraints and opportunities.
Shropshire Homes will be holding a drop-in public consultation meeting between 4pm and 8pm on Wednesday, March 9, at Waters Upton Village Hall.
There would be a mixture of two-, three- and four-bedroom two-storey dwellings on the site.
Members of the public who wish to comment on the application on the council's website should do so by March 21.
Nearly 80 comments have already been submitted to the planners by experts, councillors and members of the public.
The application could be decided by May 25.
