Public knocks plan for 3,640 Shrewsbury homes by 2026
Members of the public have criticised plans to build nearly 4,000 homes in a Shropshire town within the next 15 years.
Shropshire Council has set out its vision to build 3,640 homes in Shrewsbury by 2026. The plans are outlined in its Site Allocations and Management of Development plan, known as SAMDev.
But more than half the people who have responded to the draft plan for Shrewsbury so far have objected to the housing target which they say is too high.
According to a council report, 62 per cent of respondents objected to the overall target of 3,640 homes – saying there was a "lack of employment" and "infrastructure" in the town to support this level of growth.
Shropshire Councillor Miles Kenny agreed that there was a lack of employment opportunities in the town.
"We are losing the sorting office, the barracks and staff at Shirehall," he said. "These are big employers and we have got to ask where will the jobs be for the people who will be living in these new homes"
"It is not just about building but about making better use of the land. We should be using existing sites before we build on our green fields."
Also included in the plan are proposals to set aside 222 acres (90 hectares) of land for employment in Shrewsbury by 2026.
But only 51 per cent of people supported this target for employment land, with 49 per cent saying existing employment sites and brownfield land should be fully utilised before extra land was brought forward.
Mr Kenny said he feared that people buying new homes would commute to work outside Shrewsbury, which he said would not help to boost the town's economy.
In the report, there was support for the Shrewsbury South Sustainable Urban Extension with 64 per cent of people in favour of the scheme. Under the plans, 900 homes will be built over 15 years with the Shrewsbury Business Park expanding and a 54 acre (22-hectare) employment site being created near to Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow ground.
But according to the report, which will go before Shropshire Council's cabinet at Shirehall tomorrow, there were some concerns about the impact of the development on the road network and the loss of greenfield land on the edge of the town.
There was also objection to plans for 400 new homes between Preston Street and London Road, with 73 per cent of respondents against the scheme, citing fears over the loss of green space, wildlife habitat and safety concerns about the increased traffic the development would create.
