Shrewsbury petition launched over plans for 600 new homes

More than 100 residents living close to Weir Hill and Preston Street are urging Shropshire Council to refuse planning permission for more than 600 homes.

They say that the development will bring excess traffic, spoil views and put a strain on the infrastructure.

Developers Permission and Taylor Wimpey have applied jointly to the council for permission to build an estate in two phases, with 360 homes in the first section.

Concerns have been raised over the creation of one access road off Preston Street.

John Brown and Patrick Strong are behind the petition and have become the mouthpiece for those concerned about the development.

John said: "Over 100 residents from Preston Street and adjacent streets have signed a petition against the proposed development of up to 600 houses on the Weir Hill site.

"They call on the council to reject the planning applications for a number of reasons.

"It will spoil an area of considerable beauty. It will mean the disappearance of a large area of prime agricultural land and it will greatly increase the flow of traffic on Preston Street and adjacent roads. The area was never designed to cope with this level of traffic and associated noise and pollution."

The pair claim the proposed new estate will place 'considerable' pressure on the local school and GP surgery.

John added: "The need for such a development is questionable. One has only to look around Shrewsbury and district to appreciate the vast increase in housing that has taken place in the last 10-15 years - an increase greatly exceeding an increase in the population of the town.

"We question who will occupy these dwellings.

"When questioned about this the developers have admitted that it will attract commuters from as field as Birmingham, Chester and even Liverpool.

"Furthermore, the council has rejected a similar proposal on two previous occasions and it would surely be inconsistent to approve the current application."

Councillor Hannah Fraser who represents the Abbey ward said: "There is a great deal about the scheme that will disadvantage the existing local residents. It will make the traffic worse and will impact on Belvidere Bridge. The developers have not properly looked at this.

"The bridge is currently used as a rat run. The proposed new estate will link Emstrey island across Belvidere Bridge. A new road really needs to be build before construction work begins. The developers really need to go back and rethink their plans. People are rightly very cross about this."

At a public exhibition held to show the plans in 2015 more than 200 people poured through the doors within the first 45 minutes, with a number registering their concerns over the access points to the site.