Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Shelton Hospital site homes bid 'a threat to sports groups'

Controversial plans to build nearly 240 homes on the site of Shrewsbury's former mental hospital would lead to the loss of a well-used green space for young footballers, it has been revealed.

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The pitch near the former Shelton Hospital in Somerby Drive, used by SAHA Storm football club, would be swallowed up by the development being proposed by Shropshire Homes.

The firm has submitted plans to convert the former mental hospital and ex-Victorian asylum into 156 luxury flats and homes, demolish the former kitchen block and build parking areas, courtyards and community gardens and a further 82 houses in the hospital grounds.

Concerns have also been raised about the fate of one of the county's oldest cricket pitches nearby.

Officials of Shelton Cricket Club, which has been going for more than 100 years, say the boundary ropes are too close to the proposed new homes and flying cricket balls will be a threat to both properties and residents if the application goes ahead.

Youngsters who play for SAHA Storm turned up for training over the weekend with banners made in protest at the move, which they hope to stop with the help of Sport England, which has also objected to the development.

One urged Shropshire Council to show the red card to builders, and they were hung on trees near the pitch for all to see.

Adrian Tomkins, manager of SAHA Storm under-12s, said: "We have been training on these pitches as a team since the boys started in school at the age of five.

"SAHA is a local club and losing even more pitches from the area would be very disappointing and force the club out of it's historic base.

"We have already lost our match pitch, so to lose our training base would be devastating."

Karen Pearce, of the Racecourse Lane Residents Association, said: "We feel we are having a development the size of a new village plonked in our midst which pays no respect to our existing open spaces and sports pitches.

"The new development seems to provide little usable open space and if its anything like the latest development in the area it will have signs saying 'no ball games'. It is just not right for the council to just hand over our public land."

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