Shropshire Star

Objectors fail to stop plan for 120 new houses in Shropshire village

Plans for 120 homes in a village have been given the green light despite fears that over-development could turn a village into a town.

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The proposals for the project off Audlem Road in Audlem, near Market Drayton, have been passed by council planning officials.

Anwyl Construction Co Ltd, which put forward the plans, is planning to create two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom homes across three pastoral fields on the northern edge of Audlem.

Kirstin Dixon, Audlem parish clerk, said: "It is very disappointing to report that, despite many of them having expressed concerns about elements of the proposal, the planning committee chose to approve the application.

"Of particular concern was the fact that the smaller homes designated for affordable housing fail to meet the Department for Communities and Local Government's minimum space standards.

"Planners recommended accepting this reduction on the basis that a registered social housing provider had agreed to take on the homes.

"Audlem parish councillors were very disturbed to find that this was deemed more important than ensuring that the houses were actually fit for people to live in.

"Additionally, the proposal was not in compliance with several policies of the Audlem Neighbourhood Plan (ANP).

"Whilst planning officers expressed their regret that the ANP could not be taken into consideration they stated they had to follow advice from their legal team.

"This confirmed that as the outline approval pre-dated the ANP they could only follow the design and access statement produced at that time.

"The only encouraging part of the procedure was that the planning department confirmed that the ANP will be fully taken into account in all other planning applications in the future.

"In the meantime, houses which are 'literally' sub-standard are coming to a development near you, soon."

Letters of objection were received from four households which raised fears about Audlem being slowly transformed into a town, the additional burden on emergency services and village amenities such as shops and pubs, and more traffic.

A report by the council's planning officers said: "The design of the proposed dwellings and their scale is considered to be acceptable and would not detract from this part of Audlem.

"The development of the site would provide a number of economic benefits in the residential use of the site.

"The outline application also includes the improvements to the nearby bus stop and the extension of the speed limit and other traffic management measures."

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