Shropshire Star

Allow appropriate housing by Oswestry hill fort, says inspector

A housing development in the shadow of Oswestry's historic hill fort should be allowed – so long as its design is appropriately sensitive to the significance of the landscape.

Published

Government inspector Claire Sherratt has published her proposed modifications to Shropshire's SAMdev, the council's masterplan for development over the next decade.

Among the most controversial schemes is for 117 houses off Whittington Road. Protesters had called for the development to be taken out of the housing blueprint saying that it would ruin the environment of the iron age hill fort that towers above the north of the town.

The view from the top of the hillfort including the proposed site for housing

Campaigners have vowed to carry on their fight to stop housing being built close to the hill fort - despite a government inspector deciding in favour of the land being designated for housing.

The Hands off Old Oswestry Hill Fort campaign has made a defiant promise to continue protesting against plans for 117 homes on land off the Whittington Road.

Government Inspector Claire Sherratt has ignored pleas for the land to be taken out of SAMdev, Shropshire Council's blueprint for development.

Hill fort campaigners, posting on their Facebook page, said: "This latest staggering rejection of public opinion and of the overwhelming heritage argument against development has only fuelled our determination to fight on – as hard and long as it takes."

The Hands off Old Oswestry Hill Fort group says it is now looking at the best way to object during the six-week public consultation that runs until July 13.

One of the objectors, Maggie Rowlands, said: "We are doomed to see the encroachment of the historic landscape at the foot of the hill fort by twee suburban houses, with their street lights and pitched roofs and roads which no longer follow historic routes, blocking out views to and from the hill fort and reducing Oswestry's tourism potential.

"I am outraged that a system which trumpets localism and consultation has ignored a petition from 8,000-plus people, the opposition from local councils and opposition from archaeologists including those who are the best in their field."

Two plots of land closer to the hill fort had already been removed from the council's list of sites, including one where it was suggested that old farm buildings could be converted to dwellings.

A nationwide petition gained 8,000 names but failed to convince the inspector that the land should remain as fields. Instead she says: "The development should demonstrate appropriate regard to the significance and setting of the Old Oswestry Hill Fort."

The hill fort scheme will have to be drawn up to include a full archaeological assessment, ensuring long distance views to and from the hill fort are conserved.

But protesters say their feelings and the views of archaeological experts have been ignored.

The inspector has also given the go-ahead for a major urban extension to the south of Oswestry which, when added to the smaller housing sites around the town, designated in the SAMdev document will see more than 1,417 homes built in the town as well as zones for employment and recreation.

Inspector Sherratt has outlined her proposed modifications to the countywide document in a 91-page document, which will now be subject to six weeks' public consultation. It follows public hearings held at the Shirehall in November and December looking at scores of applications for land to be zoned for housing. Shropshire Council has a target of 27,500 new homes by 2016.

Shrewsbury will see the lion's share of new housing with the unitary authority suggesting that 3,640 new homes are needed in the county town by 2026.

They include the Shrewsbury south and Shrewsbury west urban extensions.

The inspector has suggested only minor modifications to those zones. The western extension will see about 750 homes built on land off Welshpool Road in Bicton Heath along with a multi-million pound link road and 12 hectares of land set aside for employment.

The Shrewsbury south sustainable urban extension will see 900 homes created, on land off Oteley Road.

Proposed changes to the countywide document following objections at the public hearings also include the removal of the villages of Tyrley and Woodseaves as a community cluster in the Market Drayton area.

The inspector also wants to see safeguards on any housing sites in the south of the county to protect the River Clun – a special area of conservation.

In her list of SAMdev modifications, Inspector Sherratt says that a scheme is required for the development of the site which will apply the following design principles:

  • To inform the layout of the site, full archaeological assessment will be required to enhance the understanding and interpretation of the significance of the hill fort

  • Ensuring long distance views to and from the hill fort within its wider setting are conserved

  • Development should be designed to allow views and glimpses of the hill fort from within the site

  • The layout of development, its form, massing, height and roofscape

  • A landscape plan will be required to design a landscape buffer along the northern and eastern boundaries of the site, to create a clear settlement boundary between the built form and open countryside. The landscape buffer will retain important views to and from the hill fort, including from Whittington Road. The landscape plan should also include detail on appropriate vegetation and screening

  • Street lighting should be designed to minimise light pollution and sky glow

  • The opportunity should be taken to consider measures to improve the access, interpretation and enjoyment of the hill fort and the wider historic landscape.

  • In addition to these principles, and following full assessment of the significance of the heritage assets, including assessment of the archaeological interest of the site, development to be subject to pedestrian and cyclepath links to the former railway and a new link between Whittington Road and Gobowen Road to improve access.

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