Affordable housing row over Market Drayton development
A developer wants to knock down vacant buildings in Market Drayton and erect nine new houses - sparking a row about a lack of affordable housing in the plans.
David Wilson Homes has applied to demolish an empty house and four ancillary outhouses at 4 Rush Lane, bordering its existing Drayton Meadows development.
The new buildings at 4 Rush Lane would be a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses with two car parking spaces each.
In a statement, the developers said the new houses would be a "natural addition" to the 162 homes at Drayton Meadows.
Shropshire Council officers argued that the developers should include some affordable housing in their new proposal because they considered it an "extension" of Drayton Meadows, but this week a letter on behalf of David Wilson Homes was sent which rejected that assertion.
The letter from Rachel Clare said: "The application for nine dwellings at Market Drayton should not be making an affordable housing contribution as it is deemed a minor development, regardless of whether we are developing the site adjacent.
"In addition, whilst I appreciate the site borders an existing David Wilson scheme, the site could be delivered by any developer and, if it were to be delivered by another, it would not be considered an extension to the existing development and therefore David Wilson Homes as the developer should not be viewed any differently to another simply because they are developing the site adjacent."
