Safety concerns over plan to build homes at former Telford paper mill site

But the homes’ would-be neighbours and the parish council say the “narrow, bendy” lane has a history of accidents and near-misses and is not wide enough for a safe pavement to be added.

Fletcher Homes Shropshire Ltd were granted outline permission for up to 22 houses west of Mill Lane, Tibberton, in 2016.

Telford and Wrekin Council’s highways department supports the application, and says the previously-agreed pedestrian safety scheme is deliverable.

In a report for the planning committee, council officers say the three-acre site once accommodated a paper mill, but was later redeveloped as horticultural nurseries.

Outline planning permission for up to 22 houses was rejected by councillors in 2015, but granted on appeal the following year.

Two rounds of public consultation generated 14 objection letters against the housing plan, although this does include some letters originating from the same address.

Some of these messages, the report says, refer to a “history of accidents and near-misses” and refer to the road as a “rat run to the A41”.

“Mill Lane is a narrow lane from the centre of Tibberton with the access point located on a sharp right-angle bend,” the report says, summarising objectors’ comments.

Others claim the homes will “result in an additional 78 vehicles using Mill Lane, adversely affecting highway and pedestrian safety”.

Tibberton and Cherrington Parish Council also objected, citing “strong evidence it will not be possible to introduce any form of acceptable development without reducing the lane to an unacceptable width”.

Summarising the parish council’s objection, the report adds: “The width of Mill Lane at its narrowest is four metres and Telford and Wrekin Council’s required minimum width for pavements is 1.5m.

“Any footpath adhering to this will result in Mill Lane being too narrow for vehicles.”

But Telford and Wrekin’s Highways department support the application.

“The Local Highway Authority considers that the verge required to deliver the pedestrian safety scheme forms part of the adopted highway and, as such, is considered to be deliverable,” the report says.

Fletcher Homes are proposing to allocate eight of the homes as affordable.

The Telford and Wrekin Planning Committee will discuss the proposal when it meets on Wednesday, July 31. Council officers recommend they vote in favour.