Shifnal petition on planning rules change
Councillors in Shifnal want more residents to voice their concern over housing developments in the town.
Members of Shifnal Town Council have agreed to launch a petition to voice their concerns over national planning policies.
Residents in the town have been unhappy at plans that could see 1,600 new homes built in the town by 2026.
But town councillors said residents were not doing enough to voice their opinions despite showing opposition via social media.
Councillor Lee Hubbard said: "Everybody can lambast the development, but no one is doing anything – what more can we do?"
Councillor Stuart West, who represents Shifnal South and Cosford is vice-chair of Shropshire Council's south planning committee, which decides on developments in the town.
At the last meeting of the committee, he launched an attack on the Government's National Planning Policy Framework, which, he said, takes planning decisions out of the hands of local authorities by making it difficult to refuse applications if they do not have a designated five year supply of building land.
He told the meeting, held in the town's Old Fire Station: "We need to petition the Government, not Shropshire Council. If people draw up a petition, I will take it to Westminster."
Residents have set up a group called Save Our Shifnal and its Facebook group has more than 700 members, but councillors were disappointed more members weren't voicing their opinions. Councillor Robert Harrop said: "I am disappointed there are 760 members but only half a dozen comments against housing plans."
