Albrighton villagers gather one last time as 800 homes plan goes to public inquiry

A public inquiry begins on Tuesday to decide whether Shropshire Council was right to turn down planning permission for a controversial housing development in Albrighton.

Local developers Boningale Homes, which are based in Albrighton, want to build 800 homes on green belt land off Patshull Road in the village but were refused planning permission by Shropshire Council in December.

The developer appealed the decision, and a 12-day public inquiry was scheduled to determine the final outcome.

The inquiry, at Shrewsbury’s Guildhall, will see a government-appointed planning inspector hear evidence from all interested parties before deciding whether Shropshire Council's unanimous planning committee decision to refuse the development was just, or whether it should be overturned.

Boningale Homes declined to comment ahead of the forthcoming inquiry, but has previously said their proposals will “make a meaningful contribution to addressing the unmet need for new homes in Shropshire in a sustainable location”.

They also say the scheme will provide “vital benefits” to the community including a secondary school, care home, local centre and a new GP surgery.

The developer also disputes the status of the agricultural land where the homes are to go as “green belt” arguing the site is “grey belt” land and suitable for new homes.

But both Shropshire Council and many local residents in Albrighton are staunchly opposed to the plans, saying it an inappropriate development in the green belt .

More than 1,100 objections were submitted to the council by concerned locals, who also formed The Albrighton Development Action Group (ADAG).

The campaign group has raised more than £82,000 to secure professional planning and legal representation for the inquiry, and have also gathered more than 3,700 signatures on a petition opposing the plans.

In one final move before the inquiry, the group, which has the backing of local Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard, organised a ‘Great Green Belt Walk’ on Saturday around the agricultural land under threat.

The day saw around a hundred concerned locals assemble in the village at lunchtime, despite the threat of rain, before they took a leisurely three mile walk along the 48 hectares of countryside and farmland earmarked for the development.

Dipika Price from the group said: “Today’s Great Green Belt Walk is a peaceful, community-led event following the perimeter of the threatened fields.

“This is productive farmland not empty or unused land. It has been farmed for generations and has produced crops including quinoa in recent years.

“The fields form an important green separation between Albrighton and the rural Boningale Conservation Area, with its historic buildings and distinct identity.

“The site is on the opposite side of the M54 from Albrighton station and centre. The station is estimated to be a 22–30-minute walk away, making increased car use and traffic congestion highly likely.

“Residents are deeply concerned about traffic, road safety, pressure on local services and the permanent loss of the countryside. Once productive Green Belt land is built upon, it is gone forever.

“Our message is simple: this is valuable, productive Green Belt land and much-loved recreational countryside. It is used, valued and worth protecting.”

Also taking part on the walk was Martin George, who only moved to Albrighton in April, after leaving his previous home in Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, due to ongoing development in that area.

He said: “I moved here because it’s a lovely, rural village and a friendly environment and Hanwood where I was living has a major development going on so when we heard what was going on here, it was extremely annoying to say the least.

“It is horrifying really, so we are doing what we can to hopefully put a stop to it.”

Pauline Hill has lived in the area for more than 40 years, she said: “I completely disagree that this is grey belt - it is green belt land and if the government allows this to proceed it will happen all around the country. And it will be lost for good.

“We have already accepted 700 houses being built elsewhere in the village but we don’t need another 800 houses. It is speculative and just about money.”

Helen James, who came to the area 26 years ago to raise her two children, said the area’s green belt was the reason she moved there.

“It is peaceful, no light pollution, no pollution and just farmland. My children used to walk along these fields to go to school. It is the reason we moved here.”

She said the land under threat was productive farmland.

“The previous farm manager spent many years regenerating the soil so the farmland is very productive,” she said, adding that while she understands young people such as her two sons, now 27 and 23, are in need of homes, she said the area earmarked by Boningale was the wrong location.

“We are not against affordable housing and it is very difficult for young people but it is the wrong place and more houses than the village can sustain,” she said.