Controversial Telford housing estate plans deferred by council

They have been deferred to address concerns raised by councillors and residents.

In December 2016, Telford & Wrekin Council lost a High Court appeal, which opened the door for house building on Haygate Fields in Wellington.

Proposals by applicant Bovis Homes to build 289 homes on the site to the north of Haygate Road were considered by Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee.

An outline application for a housing development has already been granted on appeal but details of the scheme, including the scale and layout, are yet to be signed off.

However, the committee heard that there were privacy concerns regarding homes that are earmarked to be built near existing bungalows along Woodlands Avenue.

Councillors unanimously voted to defer the planning application so officers can discuss the issues with developers.

Councillor Peter Scott said: "I agree a deferment would be sensible particularly with the Woodlands Avenue situation.

"The chance of bungalows being there makes sense. It's the obvious solution."

Councillor Nicola Lowery, who echoed the fact that bungalows would be more acceptable, said: "It's imperative we get this right, that it meets planning considerations and addresses the concerns of the community."

Councillor Nigel Dugmore also made a case that any homes built near to Woodlands Avenue should be bungalows.

In April 2016 planning inspector David Wildsmith upheld an appeal by Gladman Developments against the council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the homes on Haygate Fields.

Outline planning permission was initially granted by the council but planning chiefs ordered it to be looked at again, claiming Telford already had enough housing either already built or in the pipeline for the next five years.

The developer lodged an appeal with the Government, claiming the council had taken too long to make a decision.

The council embarked on a legal fight to overturn the planning inspector’s decision to permit a new estate on Haygate Fields.

But at a hearing in December 2016, the authority found it had not been successful and building could now go ahead on the land by Wellington Cricket Club, off Haygate Road.

Hundreds of people had signed petitions to try to stop the development going ahead at the site, which is near to the town’s cricket club and known to locals as Haygate Fields.