£100,000 study to look at thousands of new homes for Shropshire
Experts are being brought in to help clear the way for three multi-milllion pound developments in Shropshire involving tens of thousands of new homes.
Key sites including Ironbridge Power Station, Tern Hill Barracks and a plan for a series of interlinked garden villages of up to 10,000 homes at Tong, will all be assessed.
The findings of the study will play a significant part in whether the areas are included in Shropshire's local plan.
The 'landscape and visual impact study' will look at how the countryside would be affected by the developments – and will suggest ideas that could make large scale development acceptable.
The review will also be looking at another 57 sites across the county, including all nearly major towns and villages.
Sensitivity
Adrian Cooper, Shropshire Council’s planning policy and strategy manager, said the review would look at how the land around development sites would be affected by the projects.
He said: “The Landscape and Visual Sensitivity Study forms part of the evidence base for the Local Plan Review (LPR).
"It will assess the landscape and visual sensitivity of land around 57 settlements and up to five strategic sites within Shropshire to three forms of development – housing, employment, and mixed use – and identify effective mitigation measures as appropriate.
"The conclusions of the study will help inform the selection of suitable sites for allocation in the LPR. The study will also provide a sound basis for decision-making in the determination of planning applications."
Plans to build 10,000 homes in Tong were revealed by the Shropshire Star last month.
The proposal is being put forward by the Bradford Estates on land it owns around the village of Tong, and close to the M54 corridor.
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The estates cover 12,000 acres in Shropshire and Staffordshire and the plan is looking at area covering about 1,600 acres.
The contract to carry out the study is worth £100,000 and bids must be submitted by April 13.
This week has also seen Clive Barracks and the former Ironbridge Power Station pitched to European investors at an international property exhibition in Cannes.
