Village homes plan for ex-haulage yard approved despite traffic and flooding fears
Plans for 20 new homes in a village have been approved despite fears over traffic, flooding and over-development.
Shropshire Council planning officers have granted permission for the site in Dudleston Heath, near Ellesmere.
The outline approval comes nearly two years after the proposals were first lodged for the former Ravenscroft Haulage site next to the B5068.
The land is allocated in the council’s current development plan for around 20 homes.
A report by case officer Mark Perry says the final details over layout, landscaping and the size and design of the properties will be decided at a later stage as part of a reserved matters application.
The development will be accessed off the main road and will include two affordable homes and public open space.
Ellesmere Rural Parish Council objected to the application along with four members of the public.
The parish council said: “The plans need to pay greater attention to drainage – the site is located at the lowest point in The Bog and may be liable to flooding.
“The access requires further attention. A mini roundabout was suggested to control traffic speeds by the entrance and to enable easier access to the development.
“The site proposals are considered to be overcrowded and the layout risks over-urbanising the village.”
Mr Perry’s report says conservation officers agreed the indicative layout “appears overly dense and suburban on the side of the highway”, and changes should be made when the reserved matters application is being prepared in order to be more “reflective of neighbouring developments”.
The report says access and other highways issues will also be addressed at reserved matters stage, but that highways officers have said the proposals “are likely to be satisfactory”.
It concludes: “It is considered that the proposed outline residential development would be located on an appropriate site in in policy terms.”
