Homes plan in town to create 150 jobs

Plans have been unveiled for a multi-million pound housing scheme in north Shropshire which could create up to 150 jobs.

Developers want to build 57 homes in Banky and Orchard Fields, off Walkmill Road, in Market Drayton. Bosses at Base Architecture yesterday took the wraps off their proposals during a public consultation session at the Festival Drayton Centre. The construction programme would take place over two years .

The homes would be a mixture of three and four bedroomed detached, semi-detached and terraced housing.

The development for Market Drayton businessman Andrew Davies is on a 1.8 hectare site.

Carl Huntley, managing director of Base Architecture, which is acting as agent for Mr Davies said the scheme had been designed to fit in with the surrounding area.

He said the housing would enhance Market Drayton and pump more money into the town centre without affecting existing housing areas.

"We want to get this scheme right for everyone around it, and right for the client too," he said.

"The houses are designed to be similar to the ones that are already nearby, and we've tweaked them a bit so they are slightly different.

"In terms of the economy this will be fantastic; it's going to give the town a higher population but without impacting on any of the existing housing estates, and it's going to mean more money in the town that is spent in the High Street."

Mr Huntley explained views of residents would be taken into account and the firm would then submit a formal planning application to Shropshire Council.

"I'd say there were between 80 and about 100, that's a good turnout and it was targeted so we thought we'd get that kind of number in.

"Most people were concerned about the loss of their view across the field, but that is a private field anyway so they all accepted that. The main worries are to do with the highway, but it has been looked at by highways specialists, but we will go back to them with the concerns of the locals.

"There are a couple of things we need to check on about drainage and access, and this could go in within a couple of weeks, or we could be looking at two or three months," he said.

The homes would range in price from £150,000 to £199,000.