Countryside campaigners fear Shropshire housebuilding ‘frenzy’
Wednesday 21st July 2010, 8:26AM BST.
Shropshire countryside campaigners today urged council leaders to re-think housing plans for the next 20 years or risk a “housebuilding frenzy”.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England is calling on the Shropshire Council cabinet to recommend that approval of the so-called Core Strategy be postponed for at least three months to take into account revised housing figures.
The strategy recommends that 27,500 homes are built in the council area between now and 2026.
A report from officers to cabinet says the figure is reasonable, realistic and appropriate to help to address the needs of Shropshire and that it reflects local needs, demands and aspirations.
The figure, the report adds, is also comparable with the average of 1,200 homes per year built in recent years.
But CPRE Shropshire claims the Core Strategy is based on out of date 2006-based household projections. New 2008-based population projections by the Office of National Statistics show a reduction in the 2026 Shropshire population from an estimated 329,600 people to 316,400.
It is vital, says CPRE, that Shropshire Council bases its plans on the most recent data. Andy Boddington, CPRE Shropshire chairman, said today: “Shropshire Council is bulldozing ahead with plans to build up to 27,500 homes in Shropshire by 2026, the target set by the previous Government.
“There is a very real danger that it will unleash a housebuilding frenzy across the green fields of Shropshire.”
By Dave Morris
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The numbers do need to be looked at , Brown field sites should be developed but the larger developments must be built on the outskirts of our towns . Small developments must go ahead in all of our villages in fact we have many under used village halls on large areas of land which could be handed over to developers to build small developments .ALL ideas must be looked at including seeking to take over long term empty properties . This coalition also need to look at following some EU countries and allowing local councils to capp private rents and also remove this 6-12 month rental agreements both result in hardship for tenants . In Germany and a number of other EU countries if you as an owner choose to rent out a property it is long term and you can only remove the tenant by wishing to live in the property yourself or by sale.If many of these ideas were implemented we would not in fact need the wide scale developments many of which would be affordable homes.
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There is a proven need for new housing in Shropshire, especially more social housing to allow people to stay in villages/towns they were brought up in.
Shropshire is the largest inland county, it is also the most rural and sparsley populated county with a population density of less than 10%. So an additional 27,500 homes over the next 15 years is a small amount in relative terms.
No doubt people such as PB will be “spitting feathers”, but you can’t keep everyone happy especially the NIMBY’s.
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Exaggerated story! It appears my first comment is being published due to hard facts rather than sensational headline!
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