Shifnal Town Council encouraging people to have say on development plans

Council members have said the authority will be continuing to support residents to engage with the consultation process and have praised the ongoing work done by community groups.

Shifnal is the focus for a considerable expansion in Shropshire Council’s local development plan.

Denise Webb, interim town clerk, said: “Shifnal Town Council is committed to reviewing the Shifnal Neighbourhood Plan to ensure it remains relevant in the planning framework.

"The current focus on Shropshire Council releasing a consultation on the Local Plan review sharpens the attention of members of the public.

“The council has and will be encouraging and supporting residents wishing to engage in the consultation process and has facilitated a well-attended public meeting which gave an opportunity for Shropshire Council representatives to inform on the details of the review."

This comes after a public action group, Shifnal Matters, was set up specifically to fight the plans proposed by Shropshire Council to build a bypass west of the town, a huge employment site of up to 40 hectares of land and a further 1,500 homes.

The group recently held its first official meeting, which was attended by more than 400 Shifnal residents.

Communication

Idsall ward councillor Kevin Turley, who represents Shifnal on Shropshire Council, said he welcomes all groups that help increase communication within the town.

"It's great to see the extraordinary work the groups have brought to the community," he said.

"Both Shifnal Forwards and now Shifnal Matters are very well organised and good at what they do in bringing important matters forward.

"I think the creation of these groups stems from when the cabinet decided on the further deliverance of housing along with the greenbelt review, which is just wrong."

He added: "In Shifnal we've got a medical practice at breaking point, our schools at breaking point and our highways at breaking point. To contemplate more development before giving the rest of the infrastructure a chance to catch up is just going to add further burden to an existing worrying problem.

"The greenbelt review is just wrong – it's too much and gone too far. Shropshire Council has neighbourhood plans and this greenbelt development goes completely against Shifnal's requirements for future development.

"Shropshire Council should prove the need to break into this land. New developments in the town are already suffering with flooding problems and drainage issues."

Meeting

Shifnal Town Council is currently holding drop in sessions in Shifnal library every Saturday morning from 9.30am until February 2 to help residents complete the online or paper consultation form.

An extraordinary meeting of the full council is also taking place, where the town council will agree its response to the consultation following a public session to hear comments from the community.

The meeting is taking place at Shifnal Village Hall on January 22, starting at 7.30pm.