Hundreds of new homes and employment land for Tern Hill Barracks land

Tern Hill Barracks, near Market Drayton, the home of the Royal Irish Regiment, is expected to be empty by 2025 and there are fears that the exodus by the army families will leave the local schools shops and other services struggling.

Shropshire Council planners want to create a masterplan for the 50 hectares of land on the A41 to bring new jobs and families to the area.

The council's cabinet will meet next week to decide whether to look in more detail at the Clive Barracks site as part of its local plan review into strategic development sites.

As well as the barracks site the cabinet will also look at whether to look in greater depth at proposals for about 3,000 new homes, a major employment site and a local centre on greenbelt land off junction three of the M54 near Tong and 1,000 new homes and employment land on the site of the former Ironbridge Power Station.

Council officers say the sites could provide a significant, positive growth opportunity for Shropshire.

The Ministry of Defence announced it was pulled out of Clive Barracks in 2016 and has recently confirmed it plans to complete the vacation and dispose of the site by 2025.

The MOD and its consultants have been working closely with local councils, the local community and other stakeholders as part of a task force led by north Shropshire MP, Owen Paterson over the last two to three years.

Adrian Cooper, Shropshire Council's planning policy manager, said the site was in an excellent position, next to the A41 and with an airfield next door.

It was also close to junction 15 of the M6, he said.

"It therefore has potential to benefit from improved connectivity from the new, HS2 link and Crewe hub station."

He said there was concern that when the army pulled out, it would have a severe effect on the local community.

"The impact on the local school would be particularly hard as the classes are full of children from the barracks," Mr Cooper said.

"We need to look at how we can regenerate that area and I know that a task force, led by Owen Paterson, has been doing just that."

He said the MOD was also collecting information on various issues on the site.

"This engagement will help MOD and its consultants to prepare a draft masterplan for a mixed-use scheme which would provide employment land and around 700 homes as part of a new settlement, together with local services and facilities as part of a masterplanned design."

Clive Barracks hit national prominence in February 1989 when the Provisional IRA bombed the site.

The attack injured two soldiers from the Parachute Regiment, and destroyed a large part of the barracks. But a sharp-eyed sentry who noticed people acting suspiciously raised the alarm and prevented 50 more soldiers being killed or injured.

Shropshire Cabinet will meet next Wednesday when it will look at the three strategic development sites.

A report to councillors says that Shropshire's economic growth strategy identifies the need for a 'step change' in Shropshire's economy to reduce levels of commuting, retain employment and skills locally, increase productivity and address housing affordability issues.

Mr Cooper said it did not mean the sites would be developed, simply that council officers could move forward and consult over the possibility.

This, he said, included talking to the local communities.