Telford retirement village raises homes fears
Residents at a retirement village fighting plans that could eventually see thousands of houses built on sites around them in Muxton today insisted they will not go away.
People living in Breton Park, in Muxton, Telford, are concerned that the four fields immediately surrounding their "quiet and peaceful" retirement village have been included in a Telford & Wrekin Council document which suggests sites which would be suitable to build houses on.
The suggested sites concerning residents at the retirement village are Donnington Farm, land off Wellington Road, Donnington and two sites north of the A518 at Donnington.
The document provides estimates for the number of houses which could be built on those sites if they were developed and adds up to 1,354 in total. They are also concerned about suggested sites off New Trench Road and Station Road which could see another 1,300 built on top of that. If building ever went ahead on all those sites, the 2,658 homes would double the size of Muxton.
Resident Ron Felton, 70, who has lived at the park for almost two years, said: "We are not going away until we have got what we want, which is fairness."
"The residents should be listened to first and developers should come second.
"These sites would not be suitable for development.
"A lot of people have retired in this village, the peace and quiet people have come for would be disturbed.
"If you look at all park home sites they are placed in rural or semi-rural areas, at the moment we have fields around us and if these developments go ahead we won't be able to see any fields and we fear this much development around us could interfere with our homes."
Breton Park is a retirement village of 93 bungalows, which are built on a concrete base and have a steal frame and residents also fear heavy machinery could damage their homes if houses were built nearby.
Mr Felton added: "Our message is build on brownfield sites first, instead of taking all our greenfield sites."
Last month residents of the park met with Councillor Andrew Eade, leader of the opposition Conservative group on Telford & Wrekin Council, in the hope of finding a solution.
The group has also met with Telford & Wrekin Council leader Kuldip Sahota and other senior councillors and officers to voice their concerns. Telford & Wrekin Council has previously said that plans are still under consultation and any concerns will be taken into account.
