Backing for 650 homes, shop and pub at Telford site

The plans for the development on the corner of Redhill Way and the A5, near to Priorslee and St Georges, are set to go before planners next week.

Despite opposition to the development, it has been recommended by officers that the development go ahead.

The plans, submitted to Telford & Wrekin Council by Metacre Limited, would include building hundreds of homes along with a shop of up to 600sq m and a pub up to 800sq m.

A new roundabout would be built at the southern end of the site.

The plans, which are set to decided by Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee on Wednesday, have attracted 34 letters of objection from neighbours.

Concerns have ranged from a fear that primary schools will not be able to cope with extra pupils to potential traffic and noise issues.

A report, due to be put before councillors, says St Georges & Priorslee Parish Council has objected, claiming it would lead to over-development of the site and create traffic problems.

Telford & Wrekin Councillors Ian Fletcher and Veronica Fletcher, who both represent the Priorslee ward, have also objected.

They claim there is no need for this number of houses and say sufficient land is available to build housing elsewhere.

A further objection has been received from Councillor Thomas Hoof, from St Georges & Priorslee Parish Council.

But planning officers have recommended approving the outline planning application, saying it will bring jobs and cash contributions from the developer towards leisure and highway improvements.

The scheme would provide up to 158 affordable homes and money would be asked for towards upgrading primary and secondary education, highways infrastructure, public transport and leisure facilities.

In the report to the committee, planning officer Daniel Owen said: "The proposal would provide employment through the short to medium term jobs that would be created during the construction of the development and in the longer term through jobs created at the proposed pub and retail uses.

"In addition there would be an economic benefit from the additional spending that would be generated in the local economy to support businesses and services. This would be a benefit of the proposal.

"The provision of additional market housing is also a benefit of the proposal, however this is regarded as being only a limited benefit as the council can demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land."

He said the development of a greenfield site did weigh against the proposal, but not significantly.

He added: "It is considered that there would be a number of benefits from the proposed development and that whilst there would also be some negative impacts, they do not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the identified benefits."

The planning committee will meet at The Wakes community centre, in Oakengates, on Wednesday at 6pm and members of the public are invited to attend.