Shropshire Star

Planners reject bid for housing estate in Broseley

Proposals for a housing estate in Broseley that opponents said could "do permanent damage" to the town have been thrown out by county planners.

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The 21 houses planned for Coalport Road would have been the second such development in the area after 30 dwellings next to Folly Farm on the same road were given permission to go ahead last summer.

But Broseley Town Council strongly objected to the new plans, by the Willey Estate, saying the houses were outside its town plan and would open the door to more and more development, which would overwhelm schools and doctors' surgeries.

At a meeting of Shropshire Council's south planning committee at Shirehall on Tuesday, members refused the application.

Stuart Thomas, acting as agent for applicant Selina Graham, of the Willey Estate, said

the estate had gone to great lengths to select appropriate land for the development, and it would bring benefits to the surrounding community such as a new play area.

However Jean Jones, Shropshire Councillor for Broseley, told the committee it was "yet another" development along Coalport Road that was not supported by the community.

Developers, she said, had not taken into account the plans for houses on the north side of the road when considering the impact of increased traffic.

"We should add 70 plus cars to the 50 odd here," she said.

"We have very serious road safety concerns outside John Wilkinson Primary, which is nearby."

She said in addition the school was already oversubscribed and unable to get permission to expand, as was the GP practice.

She said plans already going ahead for 88 houses on Dark Lane would "more than fulfil" the town's necessary housing quota.

In addition to being side the town plan, the development was on a greenfield site, she said.

"The town council has not just sat on its hands, it knows how much housing it can absorb," she said.

"This will inevitably lead to further opportunistic applications along this narrow winding country road.

"This risks doing permanent damage to the character of one of Shropshire's market towns," she said.

The application was refused on the grounds that it was outside the town plan and in open countryside.

Speaking after the meeting, Mayor of Broseley, Ian Pickles, said: "It was a good decision because the community were very concerned. Now they've said this about the site in Broseley it gives hope to other communities facing similar things."

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