Shropshire Star

Call to identify sites for more than 250 new homes in Wem

Sites for more than 250 new homes need to be identified in Wem over the next 20 years, it has been revealed.

Published

As part of Shropshire Council's Local Plan, 252 homes in Wem need to be identified by 2036.

The plan, which has been produced to help identify new housing and employment development across the county in the future, says 67 homes have already been built in Wem and a further 281 have been allocated as housing sites or have planning permission but have not yet been built.

Residents in the parish are being urged to fill in a survey as part of the unitary authority's Local Plan Review.

The survey says: "Wem Town Council is seeking the views of residents on how much future housing development there should be in Wem over the next 20 years.

"Shropshire Council's view is that Shropshire needs to grow in order to thrive, is this the same for Wem?

"Shropshire Council is currently undertaking a partial review of its local plan which sets out the amount of housing development each town and parish in Shropshire will be required to have. The preferred housing requirement for all of Shropshire for this period is 28,750.

"Shropshire Council are proposing that smaller market towns like Wem have small scale development."

One of the questions in the survey reads: "In addition to the 348 dwellings that have already been built or allocated for housing how much extra development do you think there should be in Wem up until 2036?"

The options are less than 250, 250 is adequate, or more than 250.

As part of the survey people in Wem are also being asked whether they support the idea of a relief road to ease ongoing traffic issues.

Councillor Edward Towers, mayor of Wem, has warned problems with large amounts of traffic going through the town centre will only get worse as it the town develops.

Town councillors, backed by North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, now want to see a new relief road around the town be built.

“The closing date for responses is December 4 and then, following analysis of the results, a further meeting with Owen Paterson and the council representatives above is planned to take place in early January 2018 to determine the next steps to take in resolving these pressing issues,” Councillor Towers said.

The forms can be returned to Wem Town Hall, Edinburgh House reception and Wem library.