Farming Talk: Challenges of identifying land for housing
Telford & Wrekin Council has unveiled its proposed sites for housing and employment development as part of its new Shaping Places Local Plan.
The draft plan identifies sites proposed to be earmarked for development up to 2031.
The consultation, which closes on June 17, covers two important areas, the first part explaining decisions made based on last year's consultation exercise, while the second part seeks your views on specific sites to be allocated for development.
The first part sets out the council's strategic decisions on the level of growth for Telford & Wrekin to 2031.
After considering the responses it received in last summer's consultation on Issues and Options, the council has decided to opt for now for a plan target of 20,000 homes to be built over 2011-2031.
However, this target may be open to review when the Office for National Statistics update its population and household projections later in 2014.
The Shaping Places consultation explains that the council's growth strategy has at its heart a network of green space and landscape.
One of the plan's key aims is to strengthen the identity of Telford as a "green town".
A network of "green ways" is a feature of the emerging plan, which seeks to brand Telford as an attractive area in which to live, work and invest.
The challenge for the council is to produce a plan that delivers enough land for development while simultaneously reinforcing its green image.
The second part sets out sites that might be allocated for development to meet this plan target.
The council has produced maps showing all the sites proposed, but putting a case for or against sites can quickly get technically complex.
Responses to this current consultation will help the council to produce a draft Local Plan in 2015 for submission to the Secretary of State for examination in 2016.
The consultation period enables local communities to have a say on shaping their villages or local neighbourhood, including which sites should be developed, what type and mix of housing should take place, what community benefit could be delivered, what sites should be safeguarded and how employment sites can be developed.
The process is also an opportunity for landowners to make representations in respect of their sites included on the allocations map and also to suggest new sites.
Berrys has a wealth of experience on site allocations and can help advise landowners.
Helen Howie is a chartered town planner with Berrys at Shrewsbury
