New housing strategy opens up rural opportunities

The housing development plans are part of Shropshire Council’s local plan review. Last month the Cabinet committee approved the consultation document which will seek views on the preferred scale and distribution of development in Shropshire. This will include housing and employment growth in strategic centres and each principal/key centre. The consultation period started on October 27 and closes on December 22.

A housing figure of 28,750 across the county is quite a challenge to fulfil. That equates to a delivery rate of around 1,430 dwellings a year. It therefore follows that there will need to be development in the rural areas to assist in meeting these targets, and this places great emphasis on the emerging Hierarchy of Settlements policy.

The Hierarchy of Settlements document puts forward rural settlements that have gone through a screening process for size, population, service provision, internet links, transport links, employment opportunities and so on.

If adopted (2019/2020) the Hierarchy of Settlements could provide opportunities for development that presently are not achievable, which is very positive indeed for rural landowners.

The extra 10,347 houses are mostly planned for the towns in Shropshire, with 30 per cent planned for Shrewsbury, 24.5 per cent planned for the bigger towns such as Market Drayton, and Whitchurch, 18 per cent for smaller towns such as Much Wenlock and Bishop’s Castle, and 27.5 per cent for rural areas.

We will of course be liaising closely with the council during the course of the consultation to ensure that our planning team are best placed to advise clients on the development opportunities, that will undoubtedly come to fruition in the future.

If you are interested in finding out how these plans might affect you please contact me in Roger Parry & Partners’ Minsterley office, telephone: 01743 791336.

Paul Middleton, partner, based at Roger Parry & Partners' Minsterley office.