Bridgnorth car park battle cost Shropshire Council more than £4,000
Shropshire Council spent more than £4,000 of taxpayers’ money on legal fees in planning battles to replace a car park with shops in Bridgnorth.
The development, which includes five new stores, was approved following a planning inquiry despite 6,800 campaigners signing a petition opposing the plans.
A Freedom of Information request has shown that the council paid £3,950 plus VAT in legal fees to defend its position in backing the scheme proposed by developer Ziran Land Limited.
The council initially said £9,950 plus VAT had been spent but subsequently corrected this figure, explaining that it had released the wrong figures.
Chairman of Bridgnorth Chamber of Commerce Stephen Robbins said the group was concerned that an 80-year car parking agreement between the former Bridgnorth District Council and Sainsbury’s relating to the use of the Old Smithfield had not been revoked.
Mr Robbins said: “People in Bridgnorth are very cross and they have every right to be cross.
“The chamber is still fighting this and Shropshire Council on the grounds that they have not voted to change the use from parking to a row of shops.
“The last thing that we want is to be left with a white elephant in the town and a loss of five per cent of our car parking.”
The site will include five new shops sized to attract new retailers that cannot currently be accommodated in the town centre.
Ian Kilby, Shropshire Council’s planning services manager, said: “Shropshire Council, like all local planning authorities, has a duty, set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, to work with applicants to secure a positive outcome in respect of planning applications where possible.
“Where an appeal or legal challenge is made against a decision made either by officers under delegated powers or by planning committees, we will defend the reasons for our decision, and pay the necessary legal costs.”
