120 homes in Newport backed for approval

The application, concerning a site south of Springfield Industrial Estate in Station Road, was deferred at Telford & Wrekin Council's last planning committee meeting held earlier this month.

It received more than 100 objections and further concerns have recently been raised by Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Newport & District Civic Society and Newport Town Council.

The proposals will go before the planning committee again at a meeting in Oakengates on Wednesday and officers are recommending that the committee delegates authority to a development management service delivery manager to grant permission subject to conditions.

They include making financial contributions towards upgrading highways, public transport, education and 35 per cent of the scheme must be affordable housing.

Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Newport & District Civic Society have stressed the need for another survey of great crested newts and updated ecological assessment of the site.

The trust has also raised concerns about "the lack of meaningful mitigation or compensation for the impacts of developing one of the last remaining sites of ecological value and accessible natural green space in the Newport area".

Newport Town Council has argued that the land is not needed for housing as there is already a six year supply of housing land.

But in a report, which will go before the planning committee, officers said new information had emerged that a great crested newt survey was carried out at the site in 2016 and none were found.

The report also said that mitigation measures would be in place to ensure that valuable habitats for birds, including hedgerows and other features, are retained on the site.

It added: "Some commentators consider that there is a shortage of open space in Newport and that this site should be designated as a public park and that its ecological value further merits this.

"The site does not possess any ecological value of such significance to prevent its development or which requires the site’s protection.

"While the town council and wildlife trust may have aspirations for the site to become open/green space, that decision ultimately rests with the borough council as landowner.

"And the village green application, which was submitted by residents and which sought to assert that the site had been used by local people for lawful sports and pastimes over a long period has since been rejected."

Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee will meet at The Wakes community centre in Oakengates on Wednesday at 6pm.