Shropshire Star

Come and build in Telford, council urges housing firms

Developers are being asked to put forward land for new houses and businesses as Telford & Wrekin Council looks to map out the future of the borough.

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Tomorrow the council’s cabinet will be asked to approve a ‘call for sites’, inviting developers to submit ideas for which parts of the town they would like to develop.

The call is part of a review of the council’s local plan, which needs to be completed by 2023, ensuring it is up to date with national planning policy, and that the borough has a five-year supply of land for housing developments.

The council's plan for 2011 to 2031, as published earlier this year, required the authority to build 17,280 homes.

It outlined that 14,830 could be delivered.

Fresh site suggestions will now be invited as part of the local plan review.

A report, to be considered by the council's cabinet states: "The formal review starts with a formal call for sites, an open process whereby the local planning authority invite willing land owners to submit their sites for consideration in identifying future land for development.

"Cabinet is requested to approve the commencement of a call for sites as part of the first stage of the review."

The report also outlines how the town can capitalise on other significant projects, such as HS2, I54, and a potential Western Orbital Motorway around Wolverhampton.

Key opportunities

It states: "External factors will generate opportunities for economic growth in the borough. These include major regional and national infrastructure projects which will open up opportunities for areas such as the borough.

"These include; HS2 which will call at Stafford, the M54/M6 northern link, plans for a Western Motorway bypassing the conurbation, I54 extension and the current proposals for RAF Cosford. Key opportunities locally include the electrification of the rail line to Wolverhampton bringing the opportunity of faster, higher frequency services.

"The review is an opportunity for the borough to address and benefit from these external influences through attracting inward investment and jobs. "

The cabinet report also outlines how the council needs to make sure there is enough space for businesses and employment land.

It states: "As a housing market area, Telford & Wrekin continues to see strong levels of demand with completions running at around 1,000 homes per year.

"As existing housing allocations are granted permission and units are completed this will, over the course of the review period, start to impact on the council’s ability to maintain a five-year housing land supply.

"Delivering further supply to solely meet the current requirement of 17,280 homes will be a limited response to the area’s needs given the need to identify further land for inward investment as part of an employment led strategy. Therefore it is prudent for the council to take a measured approach to meeting its own housing needs supporting a level of housing growth that is balanced with the need for further employment land."