Fears over extra homes in Market Drayton

Concerns have been raised that building the new homes will put added pressure on local services such as the medical centre and dentists.

They have been raised by Tim Beckett, a member of Market Drayton Town Council, who believes the current infrastructure won't be able cope with what is planned.

But other people in the town, representing its biggest school and medical centre, are pleased with the planned investment and believe the town will be able to cope.

It comes after it emerged Shropshire Council is reviewing its local plan, moving it forward by 10 years, where it has identified additional housing and employment opportunities for towns and villages in the county.

Although almost 19,000 homes are already set to be built in the county, the plan says a further 10,000 will be needed by 2036.

The extra 10,347 houses are mostly planned for the towns in Shropshire, with 24.5 per cent planned for the bigger towns such as Market Drayton.

The council has also identified infrastructure improvements which would need to be made to the town to accommodate new homes and businesses, including to roads, sewage and electricity.

Mr Beckett said: "The medical centre and dentists can’t meet the current demand we have so how are they going to cope with the extra at a time when budgets across the county are already being cut.

"My other concern is are these new properties going to be housing families from our town or the current trend we are experiencing where they come in out of town, work and shop out of town so the town doesn’t benefit from these developments but they use our medical centre adding to the current strain on the facilities?

"We also have loads of local residents on low income paying ridiculous high rents for properties because they can’t afford these overpriced houses.

"I personally would like to see a low priced housing scheme for the current local townspeople so they aren’t being ripped off by landlords. Some are paying over £600 for a small semi-detached house.

"We need to look after our own people not hit government housing targets that won’t be any benefit to Market Drayton."

But Sonia Taylor, headteacher at the Grove School, said: "We are pleased that extra investment is being put into Market Drayton. There is a vibrant community here and strategic investment will offer opportunities for employment and housing that will benefit inhabitants enormously.

"As the area's only secondary school we are excited by the prospect of growth and always welcome new entrants to the Grove."

Dr Rob Richards, of Drayton Medical Practice, said: "We are fortunate in that we have a full compliment of GPs here at present and a building with some expansion space so I think we are in the fortunate position of being okay – hopefully!"

About 300 hectares of employment development would be earmarked under the new plans.

David Minnery, Shropshire councillor for Market Drayton, said: "On the employment front I would like to see productive jobs rather than service jobs so that there is a greater scope for school leavers and local people generally, but again I would want to see the detail."

The plan was due be presented to Shropshire Council's cabinet meeting yesterday.