Houses turned down over vibration fear

Shyam Vadukul has applied to knock down one house, down a lane from Holyhead Road, and build five homes in its place. Had they been built, the closest home would have been around 20 metres from a railway tunnel entrance.

Telford and Wrekin Council refused outline permission. A planners’ report also raised concerns about “inadequate visibility” for cars leaving the third-of-an-acre site.

Blueprints submitted by Mr Vadukul showed one four-bedroom house near the site of the existing Lilac Cottage, with its own driveway and garage. To its left, and behind houses on Holyhead Road, eight parking spaces and a terrace of four three-bedrooms houses were also planned.

Oakengates Town Council did not object, but the report says members “had concerns that the scheme was located too close to the railway track”.

The Telford and Wrekin Council’s highways department objected. Summarising their views, the planners’ report says “use of the existing access for five dwellings would result in an intensification of the access” and “visibility, when exiting the site, is significantly restricted due to residents’ parking bays along the highway”.

The report said a straight replacement of Lilac Cottage on its own would be acceptable “as the principle of its location has already been established historically”, but a higher standard has to be applied because of the new homes.

“Officers have some concern regarding the proximity to the railway track in terms of the noise and vibration this may cause to the proposed dwellings,” it said, adding that no assessments of its impact had been submitted along with the application.

“Therefore, at this time, officers consider the scheme may have a significant impact upon neighbour amenity due to noise and vibration.

“Further information is required to address this.”