Controversial homes plan in Oswestry gains support
Controversial plans for a four-storey housing development in Oswestry are being recommended for approval, despite objections from those living nearby.
Residents in the Alexandra Road area have the backing of Oswestry Town Council, which is also objecting to the Wrekin Housing Trust scheme.
The trust wants to build a development on the former council depot in Alexandra Road to provide 53 extra care apartments and eight bungalows for people over the age of 55.
It says they will be available for affordable rent to people from the local area and go some way to addressing the significant need for affordable, extra care accommodation in the region Oswestry area and Shropshire in general.
Facilities will include a residents' lounges, hobbies room and a café which will be open to the wider community, together with a range of organised social activities. Jean Teichmann, Head of Development for Wrekin Housing Trust said: "This is a positive, much needed residential development for Oswestry and following feedback from local residents and planning officers we have amended our proposed plans. Overall two apartments have been omitted from the revised plans and further apartments have been relocated to positively respond to concerns from local people."
In a report to Shropshire Council planning committee Oswestry Town Council says that while it supports some development on the site it is against the four storey scale of the development, which its says is out of keeping with the area. It is also concerned about the proposed emergency access which would be through already congested roads.
More than a dozen residents have also expressed concern about the roads, the over development and overlooking from the flats.
There have also been three letters of support saying the type of housing was much needed in Oswestry.
Council officers say the housing would be on a brownfield site, adding in a report to the council: "The redevelopment of the site, in any format, would provide economic benefits in terms of construction jobs, additional spending from residents and, in the case of the proposed extra care development also provides on-site employment and economic generation from the café. The extra care development will provide 100 per cent affordable housing for a specific part of the community. "
The officers say that the development is predominately two and three storey and would not impact on the general character and appearance of Oswestry.
