Decision to reject 1,000-home Ironbridge proposals ‘no surprise’
The decision to reject huge redevelopment plans for a former power station was not a surprise, according to a councillor who says the firm behind the scheme failed to address the concerns of the public.
Shropshire Council’s Southern Planning Committee rejected proposals from Harworth to build what would effectively be an entirely new settlement on the site of the former Ironbridge Power Station.
The committee said it was concerned over the level of affordable housing included in the proposal, the potential impact on roads, as well as the healthcare provision associated with the site.
The development would have included about 1,000 homes along with a retirement village, primary school, shops, a rail link, business, sports and leisure sites.
The future of the site, which Harworth bought for £6.4 million in 2018, is now in limbo with three likely outcomes – either it comes back with a revised application addressing the concerns, it appeals against the decision and it is decided by a planning inspector, or it is called in by the Government to decide upon.
Councillor Dan Thomas, mayor of Much Wenlock, said he had not been surprised at the decision of the committee.
He said: “Six months ago I would have been surprised but having had the first meeting in June, when I spoke about some of the highways modelling, and they had not changed it.
"The committee sent them away to address their concerns and Harworth came back with essentially the same thing. For the committee to raise concerns and the company to come back without addressing them, it is not on.”
Councillor Thomas had been particularly concerned about the impact of the development on roads in and around Much Wenlock – and the potential for increased ‘rat-running’ due the number of cars on the roads.
Harworth had offered £250,000 for a scheme to address a potential bottleneck at the Gaskell corner in the town, but residents and councillors had argued that they wanted a confirmed proposal for how the situation would be addressed, rather than funding which may not cover the work.
The company had also said only five per cent of the 1,000 homes would be ‘affordable’ because it was not financially viable for them to provide any more.
The figure of five per cent fell well short of the Shropshire Council recommended figure of 20 per cent.
The mayor said Harworth deserved praise for elements of their plans, but added that it was not for Shropshire Council to cover any potential losses on the scheme by allowing a development which did not meet the demands of the county.
He said: “Harworth have done some good stuff and there will be some benefits to the development but just not in the current form.
“They are saying they cannot do this because of the viability or the costs and I do not think it is Shropshire Council’s role to not represent its people purely so Harworth can make healthy profits.”
He said that it was unclear as yet what the implications of rejecting the plan would be, and whether Harworth would be prepared to draw up a revised proposal.
He said: “Whatever happens, Tuesday was a good result for the people of Shropshire and the people of Much Wenlock.”
Harworth has been contacted for comment.
