Councillors overturn advice to reject Gobowen homes bid
Councillors have gone against their own planning officers' advice and rejected plans for a housing development which would have helped provide homes for key workers from Shropshire's orthopaedic hospital.
Planning officers had recommended granting outline permission to build up to 15 houses, including several affordable homes, at The Tilings in Whittington Road, Gobowen.
But members of Shropshire Council's north planning committee rejected the bid by applicant Mrs Sarah Jones, saying the plans went against housing policy.
They said the application would lead to 'sporadic, unsustainable development'.
And the councillors ruled the proposed application site would 'result in a form of development which is not in keeping with the context and character of the immediate area'.
The committee had been urged to approve the plans even though in December they refused an identical application.
A report from planning officers, presented to the north planning committee, explained the bid had been resubmitted after an announcement in February that Shropshire Council has a shortfall in the five-year supply of housing land.
The shortfall means a number of policies relating to housing supply are now considered to be out of date and the key planning issue is now whether proposed developments are in a 'sustainable' location rather than whether they are within a defined development boundary.
The officers' report said that, under the new policy arrangements, the Gobowen application was acceptable despite objections from some residents and opposition from Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council.
The report said letters of representation had been received both for and against.
