Plans for 64 new homes in north Shropshire town given the green light

The houses will be built on land to the north of Orwell Road in Market Drayton, following two previous phases of development to bring the total number of homes on the wider site to 226.

The land has long been allocated for housing in Shropshire Council’s development plan, and the granting of planning permission means work can now get underway.

The plans, put forward by David Wilson Homes, were supported by the town council.

However, concerns had been raised by locals that the development did not have good public transport links and would heap more pressure on the town’s already strained doctors, dentists and schools – but planning officers said these factors could not be taken into consideration from a planning perspective.

A report by planning officer Sue Collins says: “While these are of course important issues to residents, doctors, dentists and buses are operated outside of the remit of the local planning authority and it will be necessary for them to accommodate any such increase in population.

“With regard to schools, the community infrastructure levy paid by the developer would be a contribution to a number of community facilities including school places.

“As such while these are of concern they do not provide justification to recommend refusal of a planning application for new housing developments.”

The houses will vary in size from two bedrooms to four, and the scheme will include six affordable homes.

An area of public open space will be created to “soften the impact of the dwellings towards the A53” and provide a noise buffer for residents living nearest the road, the report says.

Granting permission, the report concludes: “The proposed scheme is on an allocated housing site as identified in the adopted (development plan).

“It is a well designed site with ample parking and public open space being provided.

“The scheme will also not have an unacceptable impact on residential properties nearby.”