Controversial Shropshire homes plan voted through despite major opposition

The authority's full council meeting on Thursday morning saw councillors voting on whether to submit its local plan to the Government.

The document sets out where thousands of homes and businesses can be built in every part of the county up until 2038, and has generated major opposition in several towns – particularly Bridgnorth and Shifnal.

Under the proposals set out in the plan, 30,800 homes will be built from 2016 to 2038.

In a tense vote the proposal was passed by 34 to 28 – with five abstentions.

The numbers mean at least nine Tory councillors failed to back the plans put forward by the Conservative Council leader Lezley Picton and her cabinet.

The debate prior to the vote had been dominated by dissenting voices, with concerns raised about the scale of development, promises over infrastructure, affordable housing, and the consultation carried out on the proposals.

Green Party Councillor Julian Dean called for the plan to be dropped and for the council to prepare another, particularly incorporating policies to address the impact of climate change.

However, the council's portfolio holder for economic growth, regeneration and planning, Councillor Ed Potter, warned that any delay to the plan would leave the county at the mercy of developers due to the lack of a 'five-year land supply'.

National rules state that councils must have a plan for enough land to provide homes five years in advance.

When they do not, developers are able to propose, and succeed with plans which would otherwise be rejected.

A local plan means the council can set the locations it wants developments built, in theory preventing developers from building where they wish.

But the proposals, which include 1,050 homes at Tasley in Bridgnorth, and major development on the green belt in Shifnal, have met with fierce local opposition – echoed by councillors during the debate.

Councillor Les Winwood, who represents Bridgnorth West and Tasley, said he had "serious misgivings" about the plan and called it the council's "most important and contentious document of recent years".

He said: "Our residents accepted the SAMdev proposal of 500 homes for the relocation of the livestock market but cannot accept a further 1,050 which if built would overwhelm Bridgnorth and the surrounding parishes, both with infrastructure, road network, and all its services, including medical, education and car parking."

Councillor Ed Bird, who represents Shifnal South and Cosford, said that the responses and wishes of the people in the town had fallen on deaf ears with no reassurances from the council.

He also questioned plans for employment land in the town, arguing there was no evidence of the demand for it, highlighting a concern that it would be used for housing if businesses do not take it up.

The plans will now be submitted for examination by a government-appointed planning inspector.

The final version, including any changes made by the inspector, will be adopted next year.