Shropshire Star

Corvedale chicken shed houses given the go-ahead

A new housing estate in rural Shropshire has been given the go-ahead despite objections from locals who say it will change the nature of their historic hamlet.

Published

Plans for seven new houses in Corfton, to the east of Craven Arms, have been approved by Shropshire Council’s south planning committee.

The plans are for seven four-bed detached houses with garages, off the B4368 at Corfton, which will take the place of four former poultry units on 1.16 hectares (2.87 acres) of overgrown land.

Residents, backed by Diddlebury Parish Council and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said there were too many houses on the site for the size of the local community, with an objection from the CPRE also saying the new houses would “alter the character and size of the small hamlet” and “stick out like a sore thumb”.

But at a Shirehall meeting councillors approved the recommendation in a report by planning officer Luke Ashley to pass the homes.

Mr Ashley’s report said that even though housing numbers for Corfton would be exceeded “the proposal is considered to represent a sustainable form of development and the impacts of granting permission for two further dwellings above the housing numbers... would not significantly or demonstrably outweigh the benefits.”

Mr Ashley added the siting, scale and design of the houses “will have no adverse impact on the visual amenity of the locality, setting of the Shropshire Hills AONB, historic environment or neighbouring properties.”

The plans have been approved with conditions., including ensuring wildlife is protected during construction, adequate drainage is created on the site and a “reasonable standard” of landscaping is put in place and building materials approved so that the new houses fit in with the character of the surrounding area.