'Hugely frustrating' - Shropshire Council tells planning inspectors of disappointment over local plan

The council's head of planning, Eddie West, has now written to the inspectors setting out the next formal steps to be taken by the authority - with the issue affected by the timing of the forthcoming Shropshire Council elections in May.

Mr West also expresses 'huge' disappointment at the decision from the inspectors to effectively pull the plug on the process - saying it had left the council with no choice.

He said: "Clearly, the council are hugely disappointed by your conclusions, the outcome of which provides no route to the adoption of the draft Local Plan.

"The choice now facing the council is whether to agree to withdraw the plan further to your recommendation, or to request you prepare a final report, of which you have already set out what your conclusions would be."

He added: "However, having responded positively to the majority of your concerns, it remains extremely frustrating that we are now not being allowed an opportunity to undertake the work programme we set out."

The planning boss also outlined his surprise at the rejection of the council's roadmap for working on the plan over the next six months.

He said: "Regarding the rationale for your position, having specifically invited the council to prepare a project plan, it is now surprising you consider the work required to fulfil this would exceed the definition of ‘limited’ and could not be carried out in the defined six months."

In the communication he questions why the decision was not reached earlier "which would have saved the council both time and expense".

He added: "For the avoidance of doubt, the council continues to consider that the necessary work to address your soundness concerns is capable of being undertaken within a six month period.

"It is also apparent there is flexibility regarding the application of the six month timetable as demonstrated by recent conclusions of other Local Plan Inspectors.

"However, it is clear that despite this, you have concluded that undertaking necessary additional work in accordance with the proposed project plan is no longer an option open to the council.

"On this basis, officers feel that there is little choice but to recommend to elected members that the draft Shropshire Local Plan is withdrawn from the examination."

Mr West explains that due to the council elections the formal withdrawal of the plan will not be able to take place until after the May election.

He said: " Under our constitution the decision to withdraw the Local Plan from examination requires full council approval. Because our pre-election period commenced on Monday 10th March, ahead of elections on Thursday 1st May, the first opportunity for full council to consider this recommendation and reach a decision is likely to be 17th July 2025.

"As a result, it is our intention to take a report to this meeting with a recommendation that our members provide approval to withdraw the Local Plan from examination. Therefore, please accept this letter as the council’s intention to withdraw the plan from examination, and on this basis we would ask that no further work be undertaken by you on the examination. We will write to you formally confirming the decision of council in due course."

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