Concern at scale of building in county

LETTER - I read with interest the article in Shropshire Star of July 16 where it is proposed to build another 50,000 homes in Shropshire by 2026.

I am delighted the government is at last taking a long term look at the situation and proposing to provide homes for our young families.

I am, however, concerned at the scale of the house building in our beautiful county. Where are these homes to be built?

I noticed in the same publication that a development in St Martins, near Oswestry, has been refused on the grounds of flooding and low water pressure. Let us hope an appeal by the developer is unsuccessful.

Are there lots of job vacancies in St Martins? I was under the impression the birth-rate of the county is falling and the total population is not increasing. If these facts are true, where are the people to live in these homes?

If not, and the population is increasing to fill this requirement, then where are the job creation schemes? It is my understanding that unemployment is on the increase.

South Shropshire has just been singled out in your same publication as having the lowest incomes in the whole country. Where are the families going to get the deposit and the mortgages to buy these homes?

If they are going to be "affordable homes" will the rents be reduced to take into consideration the lowest incomes in the country?

The planning authorities must have done their research to come up with these figures and it would be nice for them to release the evidence for their requirements, and for you to inform us the public.

Jonathan Rogers, Wistanstow