Shropshire Star

300 homes planned for former Telford colliery site

More than 300 homes could be built on a former Telford coal-mining site, if plans are approved.

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Lovell Partnerships Ltd has applied for permission for 233 houses, a 76-apartment care home and a 20-unit supported accommodation complex in Donnington Wood.

Plans submitted by the developer say open space, a playground and an outdoor “community hub” would also be provided on the site, which lies between Granville Country Park and the A4640 Donnington Wood Way and is currently used for animal grazing.

If approved, 90 of the one to four-bedroom houses would be designated as affordable housing and 66 would be owned and managed by Nuplace Ltd, Telford & Wrekin Council’s wholly-owned company.

Donnington and Muxton Parish Council will be consulted about the application, and the borough council will make its decision at a later date.

A design statement, submitted by Birmingham-based BM3 Architecture Ltd on behalf of Lovell, says: “The application site likes four kilometres north of Telford town centre and was historically part of Granville Colliery.

Open spaces

“The site is located to the east of Donnington Wood where there is a good range of services and local amenities such as primary schools, medical centres and shops within a short distance of the site.

“The site separates the residential area of Donnington Wood from Granville Country Park.”

The site measures just under 37 acres in total, and the statement says 10.6 acres will consist of open spaces like parkland, a community orchard and animal habitats.

The community hub will be attached to the east side of the extra care facility, and will act as a “central communal area for the residents” with outdoor seating within sight of the planned play area.

It adds that the housing mix was decided following pre-application discussion with the council, and took into account their strategies governing general housing and supported and specialist housing.

The proposal now incorporates a three-storey extra-care facility for over-55s, “a range of care-ready housing and bungalows” and accessible homes for people with learning or physical disabilities.