Homes plan near Oswestry hillfort is rejected - but not due to impact on monument's setting

The proposals for a site off Whittington Road in Oswestry had met with major opposition due to its proximity to the Old Oswestry Hillfort, despite the land being allocated for housing in Shropshire Council’s current local development plan.

Planning officers have now refused permission for the scheme – but said the impact on the setting of the hillfort was not one of their reasons.

The decision report instead lists a series of environmental, highways, drainage and noise concerns which officers said the applicant, Galliers Homes, had failed to address.

The scheme was scaled down having initially proposed 91 homes on the site, and came after earlier plans for 100 houses were withdrawn in 2020.

Objections flooded in from 330 members of the public, campaign group Hands Off Old Oswestry Hillfort (HOOOH), Oswestry Town Council and Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council.

Letters of objection were also received from national heritage bodies including the Council for British Archaeology, Historic Buildings and Places, Rescue (The British Archaeological Trust), and The Prehistoric Society, while a number of high-profile academics and media figures publicly backed the campaign against the plans.

However Historic England and the council’s own conservation team assessed that the development would cause “less than substantial harm” to the setting of the hillfort, backing up the conclusion of a heritage impact assessment commissioned by the applicant.

The planning officers’ report said this limited harm would be outweighed by the public benefits of seeing new homes delivered on an allocated housing site.

The report concluded: “It is considered that impacts on the hillfort and its setting as well as the historic environment in general is acceptable and in accordance with the local plan policies.

“However it is considered that this application in its present format is incomplete in information provided and detail in support of the application, and in particular in relation to amended plans which do not correspond with information as originally submitted in support of the application.

“The drainage plan has not been updated to reflect the reduction in houses to be built on site.

“The ecology report is considered outdated and in need of an update. Insufficient information has been provided in relation to environmental protection issues such noise and odour in relation to surrounding land uses.

“There are also concerns as raised by National Highways in their response to the application with regards impacts on the strategic highway network and insufficient information.”

Despite the refusal, the site remains allocated for housing and could still be developed if the applicants were to successfully appeal or lodge a new application which addresses the officers’ concerns.