Shropshire housing estate plan sparks 95 objection letters

A total of 95 members of the public submitted objections to plans from Hollyhead Estates to build up to 300 homes in Holyhead Road, Bicton, Shrewsbury.

The application has given rise to a "Save our Village" campaign while Highways England has asked for more details so it can assess the development's impact on the A5 and A458 because of the roads' "above average collision rate".

In a formal response to the application, Highways England said the methodology used in the transport assessment for the development was "over simplistic" and would not be able to determine the impact on major junctions nearby – the A5 Holyhead Road junction and the A5/A458 Churncote junction.

It said: "At the A5 Holyhead Road junction there were two recorded accidents in 2005 and 2009. Both were classed as serious. To the north of the junction there was a fatal accident in 2013.

"Historically there has also been an accident issue on A5/A548 Churncote junction." As a result the submission states: "It is required that a detailed assessment of trip distribution is undertaken in relation to the potential impact of the development on the Churncote junction A5/A458 and the A5 Holyhead Road junction."

Previously Shropshire Council's education department has expressed concerns over the ability of schools to cope with the increase in pupils generated by a 300-home estate.

A number of the formal submissions from members of the public reiterated those concerns.

Ben Spragg said: "My main objection is to the impact on the local schools, 300 houses have the potential to bring hundreds more children to the area which the schools cannot handle."

Shropshire Council's highways department said it is still assessing the transport assessment.