Church officials hit out at homes plan
Church officials have spoken out against plans to build 34 homes in a village.
Developers Shingler Homes revealed detailed plans at the end of April for the first phase of the housing estate off the B5009 in Whittington, near Oswestry.
Outline planning permission for up to 50 homes was granted in March 2016.
Following a string of concerns from residents – predominantly over a lack of parking in the village – the Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance (LDBF), which owns adjacent land, has said the estate should be developed in one go.
Niall Blackie, of FBC Manby Bowdler, on behalf of the board, said: “The provision of 34 dwellings is, of course, a contribution towards the housing needs of the area.
“A question therefore arises as to the weight that might be attached to that aspect of the development.
“Our submission for the LDBF is that very limited weight should attach to this housing contribution in the absence of the rest of the housing provision, and in the absence of the intended facilities.
“The plans put forward are a contrived and piecemeal approach to what was clearly intended within the Development Plan to be a comprehensive scheme.
“The application gives no assurance as to the remainder of the development being brought forward. The other landowners do not have any agreement with the applicants.”
Mr Blackie noted outline planning permission included pedestrian links, open space and a school drop-off zone, as the site is adjacent to the primary school.
He added: “It is fundamentally worrying that the applicant has paid no attention at all to these requirements.
“Safeguarding the future development potential of land beyond an application site is a well established and important material consideration, one that is vital in this case to the Development Plan and which therefore assumes paramount importance.”
Meanwhile, Shropshire Council’s learning and skills department has noted Whittington Primary School is at capacity with the secondary school for the catchment area also in need of additional space.
Officers have called on the developers to make a financial contribution to provide additional spaces.
