Government plans to build more than 25,000 homes across Shropshire over the next 20 years could threaten the natural and historic environment of the county’s market towns, a campaign group has warned.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England said the Government’s proposal under the Regional Spatial Strategy to increase the number of homes by 20 per cent was “well above” the regional average.

The group said it had concerns over the scale of housing proposed for the county and the level of employment land identified, which it claims exceeds previous levels for “no clear reason”.

In a statement to the Draft West Midlands RSS Phase Two Revision, which will be heard next week, the CPRE warns the level of housing proposed is too high and could destroy the delicate environmental balance.

The report says: “Nearly half of Shropshire’s housing development would need to be on green field sites. The character and environmental quality of market towns such as Whitchurch, Market Drayton, Wem and Much Wenlock has already been threatened by over-rapid growth.

“We do not believe that employment growth would keep pace with housing development, so an increase in car-based commuting – eg to North Staffordshire and Telford – would be likely.”

The CPRE also warns that towns such as Ludlow and Church Stretton could be threatened by the level of development.