Consultation period extended for controversial application for 75 homes on fields in picturesque Shropshire town after thousands of pounds raised to stop it

Northern Trust want to buld 75 homes on a site known locally as Snatchfield Farm – which was the subject of a community campaign set up in 2019 to oppose any future development.

The “Save Snatchfield” group was launched with a JustGiving fundraising page that raised more than £5,000 to “stop” development of the site.

However, Northern Trust has come forward to build 75 houses on the 10-acre piece of land, along with a new access road.

The outline application states that the development would include 16 two to four bedroom houses, 42 three to five bedroom houses, and 17 four to six bedroom houses.

The site is a large fielded area to the south east of the town between existing housing at Hazler Orchard and Chelmick Drive.

The access road for the site would be created from Chelmick Drive by demolishing an existing bungalow.

A design and access statement submitted within the application explains that the intention is to design a development which is “sympathetic to the surrounding development”.

It states: “A high quality layout will be delivered, in keeping with requirements outlined within the National Planning Policy Framework.

“The layout will employ contemporary urban design principles with respect to density, legibility and the relationship between pedestrian and vehicular movement.

“While only illustrative at this outline stage, the proposed development has also been designed to respect and be sympathetic to the surrounding development and landscape character.”

However, the proposal has not gone done well with locals, with a total of 329 out of 339 comments submitted on Shropshire Council’s planning portal (reference 26/00328/OUT) objecting to the scheme.

Church Stretton Stretton Town Council has also objected, with the Mayor, Councillor Andy Munro hand delivering a hard copy a report to Shropshire Council that amounts to 59 pages, including appendices.

Speaking at a town council meeting on Tuesday (March 24), Councillor Munro said the consultation period has been extended by three weeks so that Shropshire Council can consider the town council’s objection.

“We are aware there has since been a number of meetings between Northern Trust and Shropshire Council, and we would like to know at some point what has been discussed,” said Councillor Munro.

“It appears that Shropshire Council have accepted that 75 homes consitutes a major development.

“The objections are not, ‘I don’t want this in my back garden’. There is 143,000 words, which is phenomenal, But what really comes out strongly is the town gets the neighbourhood plan – they’ve actually rehearsed it and played it back. And for that, we should be really pleased.”

Councillor Mark Morris, who represents The Strettons, has called in the application for it to be considered by the Southern Planning Committee.

Both him and Councillor Munro have expressed a wish to speak at the meeting, although it’s not expected to be heard until at least June.

Councillor Morris is also going to ask that committee members go on a site visit, and wants local conditions put in should planning officers recommend that it should be approved.