Shropshire Star

'Powerless' residents ready to fight Shropshire border housing plans

Villagers on the Shropshire border say they feel powerless over a planning application they claim has been "pushed through" on their doorstep, a councillor has claimed.

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Residents living in the village of Four Crosses, near Oswestry, have six weeks to launch a judicial review to fight plans for a controversial development of 49 houses on land at Plas Foxen.

Josh Bowker, who put the application forward, said it was a fantastic development that would lead to job opportunities.

But Powys councillor Graham Brown, who represents Llandrinio, says residents are considering legal action and advice is being sought over concerns about the development. He said residents were worried the plans were being "pushed through" because the council was behind on a five-year housing target put in place by the Welsh Government.

"This Four Crosses development didn't comply with policy and although concerns were expressed, planning officers said they were not insurmountable, even though they had already been before the planning committee and refused, with an appeal currently pending," he said.

"This separate application was put forward and, following consideration, outline planning permission was granted even though the planning application was exactly the same.

"It appears the developer didn't pursue the appeal because they were aware that planning officers would recommend approval.

"This process has caused a lot of frustration and disillusionment and we have been left feeling powerless.

"There have been two other separate applications submitted that are also outside the permitted boundaries so there is now a danger of developments becoming a free-for-all.

"Government targets have to be for the whole of Powys not concentrated on our area which is a prime commuting site for main towns and cities; this application has implications for every area in Powys.

"So wWe are currently seeking advice to see how successful a Judicial Review is likely to be to challenge this process legally."

A spokesman for Powys County Council said the committee was minded to approve the plans subject to conditions and the applicant entering into a section 106 agreement. "As an appeal has been lodged, the determination of the application cannot be returned to the local planning authority," he said.

The current application was submitted to allow a decision to be made at a local level rather than by a planning inspectorate."

Councillor Brown said there are already 200 houses on the nearby Foxen Manor estate.

"Highways officers always seem to impose stringent conditions but in this case they are saying it is satisfactory to have a mini roundabout on a blind corner opposite six homes with 400 traffic movements a day in a 30 mph area," he said.

"Powys planning committee and local government have been put into an impossible position by the Welsh Government and its five-year supply target for housing.

"Powys is going through the Local Development Plan process - but even councils who have had their LPDs adopted are finding that developers are appealing against planning refusals.

"There are lots of areas outside the settlement boundary that, if refused, go to appeal and there is a strong feeling that inspectors are supporting developers rather than local government planning committees or the local residents themselves."

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