Questions raised over development at former Shropshire Council offices in Bridgnorth

A conditional contract has been agreed for Housing Plus Group, part of South Staffordshire Housing Association, to submit its proposals and start building on the land in High Town by autumn.

The building was the home of the defunct Bridgnorth District Council until 2009 and was then used by Shropshire Council until it was deemed surplus to requirements, boarded up and vacated.

But prior to a full planning application being submitted, concerns have been raised that the type of housing will not be suitable and sustainable for people living in the area.

Resident Andrew Sherrington, father of a 19-year-old soon to be looking for a first home, said he hopes any development will provide housing for young people.

"This may be another missed opportunity to ensure the town's young adults can live and work in the town they grew up in," he said.

Commute

"A town of retirement apartments and mid-to-high-end housing developments cannot be sustainable in the long term.

"The town already has poor public transport links, with infrequent services to the other large towns in the area.

"If the town's workforce can't readily commute in and out, will the town's businesses have access to the competitively priced workforce they need if those people face spiralling housing costs?"

Following Shropshire Council vacating the site, discussions began in 2015 to secure the building as an asset of community value and more than 1,000 people signed a petition to protect it from development.

The former chairman of Bridgnorth Town Council's planning committee said the council wanted to keep the site for employment or commercial use.

He previously highlighted that with 500 homes earmarked for the nearby village of Tasley through the council's Site Allocations Management and Development document (SAMDev), more houses were not needed.

Members of Bridgnorth Community Group were also vocal in wanting to retain the premises for community use and create the opportunity to provide jobs.