Plans for 1,000 homes 'flies in the face' of PM's pledge not to 'concrete over the countryside'

Councillor Robert Tindall quit the Conservative Party in 2021 over Shropshire Council's Local Plan after the authority revealed it wanted to build 1,050 homes at Tasley.

The new Tasley Garden Village has been partly designed to satisfy unmet housing need in the neighbouring Black Country authority.

The council plans to build 30,800 homes up to 2038, including a contribution of 1,500 for councils in the Black Country.

Morville Parish Council, near to where the homes are being planned, says Shropshire Council's housing proposals will 'be seriously destructive' for the area.

Now Councillor Tindall has said the Conservative authority's plan goes against Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's pledge that the Government won't 'concrete over the countryside'.

The PM, who was in Birmingham on Monday, promised that the Conservative Party would 'not concrete over the countryside' as housing secretary, Michael Gove, set out changes to help homeowners extend their properties and streamline the planning process.

Councillor Tindall, who represents Brown Clee on Shropshire Council, said: "But this is exactly what they are doing.

"Tasley is being built on prime agricultural land between two historic towns. It will spoil the beautiful countryside and flies in the face of what Rishi Sunak has said. He said he did not want councils to concrete over the countryside but this is exactly what Shropshire Council is doing. They are paving over our green spaces."

He added that he will be pointing out the disparity with Conservative policy at the next full council meeting of Shropshire councillors.

"If they do not listen we will be fighting this when it goes to the Planning Inspector," he added.

Shropshire Council said that the county has "limited" brownfield sites and that Local Plan was in line with both Government policy and the latest announcement by Rishi Sunak.

Councillor Chris Schofield, Cabinet member for planning and regulatory services, said: “Whilst the redevelopment of brownfield land is clearly a key planning principle, there will inevitably be a need to identify new greenfield locations in order to support sustainable development opportunities.

"This is especially the case in Shropshire where brownfield opportunities are more limited than some more urban areas.

“The identification of all proposed site allocations within the draft Shropshire Local Plan (including Tasley Garden Village) has been informed by a robust site assessment process and public consultation. It is considered the proposed site allocations will contribute to meeting housing needs of Shropshire.

“Wherever possible Shropshire Council has identified brownfield opportunities, such as at the former Ironbridge Power Station site, as part of the overall mix of allocations.

"The council considers its Local Plan review is both in line with the National Planning Policy Framework in this matter, and the recent announcements from Government. The draft Shropshire Local Plan is now the subject of examination, the Planning Inspectors undertaking this examination will consider the sustainability of proposed site allocations as part of this process.”