'Hugely unpopular' plan for up to 100 new homes off A5 in Telford look set for approval

An outline planning application that would see 120 new homes built off the A5 in St Georges was originally submitted to Telford & Wrekin Council last October by Coventry-based developers Montague Land.

But that application was withdrawn in January after facing several objections from neighbours and concerns raised by highways, ecology, archaeology and environmental health.

The outline planning application was resubmitted in August, with the developers seeking to address some of the concerns that were raised.

Despite the latest proposal now reducing the number of homes to "up to 100", local objection to the scheme can only be described as passionate. In the first round of consultation, the local planning authority received 269 objections from neighbours.

Residents raised concerns over - among other things - the lack of local infrastructure to support new homes, the loss of green space and the potential impact the work would have on the medieval moat on the site.

The patch of land included in the application has been in use as Greenways Farm, the last working farm in the area. The site has also been recognised for its historical significance, with the Wrekin Historical Group researching the history and geography of the area in 1991, and identifying it as having been used in medieval and possibly Roman times.

On the proposed site are thought to be the remnants of what historians suspect to be a moat from a medieval moated farmhouse or hall.

Showing solidarity with the residents, St Georges and Priorslee Parish Council also objected to the plans, calling them "unpopular" and "inappropriate".

The council wrote: "As a body representing the local residents, we have to state that this application is hugely unpopular in the area. Following the previous application, a large number of residents attended the parish council to make their feelings known.

"Under the current application, over 200 objections have been added to the comments. Some are brief, others provide well-researched, structured and detailed arguments against the proposal. They all show the passionate dislike of the proposed development.

"Dislike of an application on its own is not necessarily sufficient reason to block an application and the parish council recognises the nationwide housing shortage, however, St Georges is not the place to start addressing that problem.

"Local schools are already oversubscribed, and the application does nothing to show how it will mitigate that potential problem. Similarly, local doctors and dentists struggle to provide an adequate service and the A&E department at the Princess Royal Hospital has been downgraded and waiting times are high.

"With other developments in the area, the St Georges infrastructure cannot cope, and the proposal amounts to over-development and should be rejected."

The application has also drawn objections from borough councillors, including Councillor Richard Overton, Councillor Rachael Tyrrell and Councillor Paul Thomas.

Despite the widespread opposition, the council's planning officers are set to recommend the planning committee grant the outline planning permission.

The report, which will be presented to the planning committee at a meeting next Wednesday, October 23, argues for a range of developer contributions to mitigate the concerns raised by residents.

It reads: "The loss of the existing green space and the level of public objection received on this matter is acknowledged, however, as this is not public land the land owner could fence it off and restrict access to the public except for traversing the Public Right of Way.

"The council’s ecology officer has requested Section 106 contributions to improve the Local Nature Reserve to the south to mitigate for the loss of green space and public amenity."

As well as funding for work to improve The Flash nature reserve, the report outlines an array of funding conditions that could be put on the developer should the scheme go ahead.

They include £880,741 for primary and secondary education, £85,940 for highways, £89,576 for the NHS and over £300,000 for play and sports areas and allotments.

The full application is available to view online on Telford & Wrekin Council's planning portal using reference number TWC/2024/0612.