Council chief's open letter on Telford greenbelt land planning policy

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard has accused the council of deliberately trying to change the character and charm of market towns by allowing development on green spaces.

But in his letter, Councillor Kuldip Sahota said it was tied by national policy, which made it difficult to defend open spaces.

He said the government, through its National Planning Policy Framework, had made it difficult for the council to reject applications without risking costly court proceedings.

In his open letter Councillor Sahota said: "Unless the developer's planning applications are contrary to both national and local planning policy the council, as the local planning authority, must approve them.

"Across the country it is currently being demonstrated that councils that refuse applications for new homes are having their decisions overturned at appeal by planning inspectors, with the additional risk of costs being awarded against those councils."

The NPPF states that brownfield land, which is an area that has previously been used for industrial purposes, should be developed before greenfield land. But Telford & Wrekin has come under fire from people in Newport over plans for hundreds of homes, some of which have been approved for greenfield land.

Nigel Newman, spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "In Newport there is not sufficient previously used land to provide the new homes that the town needs.

"In these circumstances the use of some greenfield sites is necessary. This is also consistent with the NPPF and the adopted Local Development Plan in which it is recognised that development in Newport will have to take place on greenfield sites around the town.

"The development proposals in Newport are promoted by the private sector in response to the demand for new homes."