Shrewsbury expansion plans come under fire

An amended scheme for almost 300 homes, a hotel, pub/restaurant and seven acres of employment land at Churncote, Bicton Heath, was presented to Shrewsbury Town Council's planning committee last night.

A petrol station had been dropped, the layout of houses and offices altered and access improved onto the site off Welshpool Road.

The changes came in response to further consultation requested by Shrewsbury Town Council following concerns that residents had not been fully informed of the plans by David Wilson Homes Mercia and Jennings Estates Ltd.

Councillor Peter Adams told the meeting: "This is one of the worst consultations I have ever been involved in. I have not had a single piece of correspondence from them."

The applicant's agent, Kathy Else, admitted there had been a "failure to hand out leaflets" but said there had since been a presentation to Bicton Parish Council and a public exhibition at the Grapes Inn in Bicton Heath.

She said the revised plans were displayed by Bicton Parish Council in the village hall, in the foyer of Bicton Heath Co-Op and copies had been sent to Shrewsbury Town Council and local residents groups.

But Councillor Malcolm Price branded the efforts "disaster mitigation".

Ms Else said comments received following the latest consultation were taken into account when drawing up the revised plans which have been submitted to Shropshire Council for consideration.

The petrol station was crossed out due to objections from residents and the Environment Agency.

A larger drainage pool, traffic-calming measures, pedestrian routes, green space and one less house - taking the total to 296 - were also included in the amended plan.

Variations to the house type mix, tree screening, hedgerows and wild flower meadow were added to the drawings.

The outline application at Churncote was the first to be submitted following the agreement of a development masterplan for western Shrewsbury by Shropshire Council, which will see up to 750 homes built on the edge of town in the next few years.

The Churncote scheme includes money towards the creation of the Oxon Link Road that could eventually pave the way for the North West Relief Road.

The Highways Agency has now removed its holding direction objection which prevented any work on the development before the creation of the link road.

The intended link road between the A5 bypass and Holyhead Road could act as a leg of a possible future NWWR.

This would create a four-mile bypass from Churncote island west of Shrewsbury to the roundabout on Ellesmere Road.