Telford farmland could be used for 55 homes
Farmland could be redeveloped to host 55 affordable homes, if plans are approved.
Keon Homes Ltd has applied to build the two- and three-bedroom houses, including six wheelchair-accessible bungalows, on pasture land at the south end of Newcomen Way, Woodside, Telford.
The Staffordshire-based company has promised that all the homes will either be offered for affordable rent or shared ownership, and the outline planning permission – which was granted in January – asks for contributions totalling nearly £300,000 for amenities, schools and play facilities near the 10-and-a-half-acre site.
Telford and Wrekin Council will make a decision about the full planning application at a later date.
A planning statement, submitted by Berrys on behalf of Keon Homes, says: “The application site comprises 4.22 hectares of agricultural pasture. To its east lies Woodside Avenue and the residential areas of Woodside. To the north is residential development off Newcomen Way and Rough Park. To its west is Rough Park Local Nature Reserve and the Castle Green Cemetery.”
The Ironbridge Way, a public right of way, runs along the southeastern and eastern borders of the site, but it, and another right of way to the north, “lie entirely outside the red-line application boundary and will be unaffected by the proposed development”, it adds.
The site, which is owned by Homes England, is allocated in the Madeley Neighbourhood Plan for “approximately 50 dwellings”.
The outline planning proposal included a requirement for at least a quarter of the resulting homes to be classed as affordable.
A planning statement says Keon Homes “proposes to improve on this with a 100 per cent affordable housing scheme, with a mix of 80 affordable rent and 20 per cent shared ownership houses”.
The in-principle agreement also asked the developer to contribute £230,948 towards improvements at local schools, up to £33,000 to upgrade nearby play facilities at The Saplings, £25,000 for the Rough Park Local Nature Reserve and £10,720 for footpath maintenance on the adjacent rights of way.
Madeley Town Council and The Gorge Parish Council, along with residents of neighbouring streets, will be asked for their views about the project during a consultation period that runs until Friday, July 24.
