Councillor 'harbours deep concern' over future development proposed for Shropshire

Councillor David Turner, who represents Much Wenlock on Shropshire Council, said the numerous housing sites set to be built in and around the town could prove too much for the current "creaking infrastructure" to withstand.

Under Shropshire Council's Local Plan, which sets out where houses and business sites can be built up until 2038, at least 130 homes will be built in Much Wenlock, along with 1,050 in Bridgnorth, 1,000 in Buildwas and 80 in Cressage.

The document is set to go before Shropshire Council on December 7 before being sent to the planning inspectorate next year.

Councillor Turner said: "While recognising that more housing is needed and the economic benefits that construction and occupation bring, I harbour deep concerns about the pressure that such developments will exert on our creaking infrastructure.

"Schools and medical facilities will be built during, not before, build-out of the schemes, and increased traffic in particular will affect everyone from the construction phase onwards – not least in Much Wenlock.

"The Buildwas development, by the owner’s own admission, will double wait times at the Gaskell Arms junction of the A458 and A4169.

"This will mean a deterioration in air quality and, for pedestrians, will represent greater than the current difficulty in crossing busy roads safely.

"Add to this the currently unquantified increase in traffic movements from large-scale development in Much Wenlock and elsewhere, and we shall see more rat-running through our narrow streets. Solutions must be found and implemented before development takes place.

"On the assumption that, when published, the cabinet agenda has not withdrawn the Much Wenlock proposals, I will be speaking against its inclusion at the meeting and voting against it at the council meeting in March that will send the Local Plan Review to the planning inspectorate next year."