Plans to build new homes next to nursing home near Market Drayton revealed
Plans to build up to eight new homes on a "modest" parcel of land next to a north Shropshire nursing home have come under fire from neighbours.
A proposal to build between five and eight new homes on a patch of land off Mill Road in Wollerton, near Market Drayton, was submitted to Shropshire Council earlier this month.
The application is for 'permission in principle', which would determine whether the site is suitable for development, with matters of design and access to be determined at a later date.
Documents, submitted by Whitchurch-based Peter Richards & Co on behalf of the landowner, states pre-application advice from Shropshire Council earlier this year stated the site is "considered to be acceptable".
The one-acre site neighbours Beech House Nursing Home, a Grade II-listed building in the centre of the small village, and is currently in use as a pasture for horse grazing.
A spokesperson for Peter Richards & Co said: "Currently used as pasture for grazing horses, the site’s central location within the villages built form makes this an inefficient use of land. A modest infill development would represent the most effective use of the site.
"The scheme would generate economic activity through both the construction phase and subsequent occupation, thereby supporting local services and facilities by increasing the resident population, without placing undue pressure on existing village infrastructure.
"The site’s location, immediately adjacent to the settlement boundary, allows for a small-scale, well-designed development that would reflect the established pattern of the village and could be accommodated without significant visual harm to the rural landscape."
But during the application's consultation phase, a number of local residents submitted objections to the scheme.
One, Mrs Westwood, wrote: "Wollerton is a small rural hamlet with narrow roads and pavements that are unsuitable for additional traffic. The proposed development would significantly increase vehicle movements and parking issues, creating safety risks for pedestrians and other road users including horse riders and cyclists.
"Wollerton has no local services or amenities and limited public transport, making car dependency unavoidable and further exacerbating traffic impacts. There is no demonstrated local housing demand or economic justification for the proposal, and no realistic prospect of infrastructure improvements."
Another, Mrs Matthews, added: "Wollerton is a rural hamlet with no immediate services. These houses would not enhance the hamlet and would increase traffic on narrow lanes that do not have a footpath.
"I do not see the need for additional housing stock. The environmental impact on this rural hamlet would far outweigh the need."
The application, which is due to be determined in the coming weeks, is available to view on Shropshire Council's online planning portal using reference number: 25/04551/PIP
