Public meeting over almost 300 homes planned for Telford beauty spot

In December, Telford & Wrekin Council lost a high court appeal against building on Haygate Fields in Wellington.

But on Thursday, Bovis Homes will be at Wellington Cricket Club, to discuss their plans for the development before plans are submitted.

At the meeting, from 2pm to 6pm, residents will be able to see and discuss the proposals for the new development.

Plans have not yet been submitted, but the development is planned to consist of 289 homes.

Residents say they are very keen to see the proposals, and are urging as many people as possible to attend the event.

In April 2016 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 national Planning Inspectorate, claiming the council had taken too long to make a decision.

Telford & Wrekin Council embarked on a legal fight to overturn a Government's Planning Inspector's decision to permit a new estate on Haygate Fields.

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

People living on Haygate Road formed a group called the Haygate Fields Appeal and even raised money to have a barrister represent them and their views during the initial inquiry, which was held at the Whitehouse Hotel in February.

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.

Diane Treherne, from the group, said: "We the Haygate Group are hoping for a good turn-out so the developer knows we are very interested in what they are proposing.

"I know there are lots of people around who interested in what happens to the fields."

Anyone who cannot attend the event can send comments to haygateroad@astlepd.co.uk or visit astlepd.co.uk/haygate-road or send a letter to Haygate Road Consultation, Bovis Homes, Dunston Hall, Dunston, Stafford, Staffordshire ST18 9AB.