Ellesmere housing plan attracts objections with claims town is 'being swamped' with new houses
A former councillor says he is “absolutely fed up” with extra houses with news that plans have been submitted for a new development in Ellesmere.
Shropshire Homes’ scheme is on land to the east of Teal Drive – an area that has seen previous applications rejected.
Ten years ago, Shropshire Council refused a proposal for 68 homes that was submitted by David Wilson Homes (Mercia). The Northern Planning Committee stated it would cause “unacceptable harm” to the open countryside, which outweighed the benefits of boosting housing supply. The refusal was appealed, but was dismissed by an inspectorate.
At an Ellesmere Town Council meeting on Monday (November 3), Andrew Rogers, senior land manager at Shropshire Homes, said the development site it has targeted is smaller, at 4.5 acres.
“The reason we believe the application is appropriate now is due to the update in housing numbers and planning policy that came into force almost 12 months ago,” said Mr Rogers.
“Housing targets for Shropshire have increased significantly, with the most recent number being 2,025 dwellings per annum.
“The new Shropshire Local Plan was withdrawn after the inspectors from central government recommended that earlier this year. So at the moment, Shropshire Council don’t have an emerging plan, and their existing SamDev (Site Allocations and Managment of Development) plan goes out of date next year.
“That has led Shropshire Council to engage in what is called a “tilted balance”, where the benefits of a development should outweigh the negatives, and we believe that is the case now.
“We have been preparing our application for a number of months, and have already had a pre-application meeting with Shropshire Council. They were positive and invited an application to come forward.”
However, Rob McBride, who used to serve as a town councillor, feels Ellesmere is “being swamped” with new houses.
“The town’s infrastructure cannot cope,” he said.
“The schools aren’t coping, the medical facilities are struggling. Whitchurch has a new medical centre, yet Ellesmere is still struggling in a small building.
“I am absolutely fed up with extra housing. We have had plenty, and don’t want any more.”
Shropshire Homes has been targeting Ellesmere during the past few years, with a development at Oswestry Road nearing completion.
The 40 homes will be a mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom properties, with 10% being affordable. The design will be “sustainable and energy-efficient”, say the developer, with it investing in the town through Community Infrastucture Levy (CIL) and Section 106 agreements, jobs and local spending.
Existing landscape features such as trees and hedgerows will be retained, while there will be public open space to create buffers to open countryside, including a Public Right of Way.
There will be new planting throughout the site to provide “a cohesive landscape-led design”, while there will be biodiversity enhancements.
To address flooding concerns, there will be swales and storage tanks, with the flood risk strategy identifying the site as flood zone 1, meaning “there is no risk of flooding.”
However, Councillor Pete Jones said the area regularly floods.
“Our job is to reject anything that makes Ellesmere worse, and it is our job to come up with material rejections as to why,” he said.
“I think that potential highway safety and traffic impact is a material objection. The second is on drainage. They have done a bare minimum drainage report, which includes fluvial flows.
“We all know that area of Ellesmere floods a lot.”
Cllr Jones added that the impact on local services should also be considered.
“We all know there is lots of pressure on local schools and public transport in Ellesmere is inadequate,” he said.
“This development does conflict with local planning policies. Just because the SamDEV expires next year doesn’t give them the go ahead this year.
“I don’t think they are strong material objections, because they’ve done their work, but I do think this development makes Ellesmere worse.”
Councillor Geoff Elner added that he hasn’t found one person who thinks the scheme is a good idea.
“I think we should represent the people of Ellesmere,” said Cllr Elner.
“We do need some material reasons to object it other than the disruption of noise, the road, the lack of schooling.
“Those sort of issues need to be addressed. I think we will probably lose an appeal because of the new government guidelines. I think we need to try and make the best of this as best as we can.
“Nothing has changed since the appeal. We’ve got an industrial estate opposite that is being developed. There will be more traffic. I recommend we object in the strongest possible terms.”
His proposal was unanimously agreed by fellow councillors.
