Appeal looms after plan for 70 homes in village near Whitchurch hits time buffers
Hugely controversial plans for 70 homes on land outside a north Shropshire village are heading for a planning inspector’s appeal desk after Shropshire Council and developers did not agree to extend time limits.
A ‘non-determination’ decision has been recorded on the council’s planning portal over the plan for homes at Tilstock Road, in Tilstock, that was lodged with officials on October 31 last year.
Boningale Development Limited of Albrighton had received pre-application advice from the council in February last year where officials said the proposal was “contrary to the principle of (the) development plan".
That is now set to be tested by a Whitehall inspector against the backdrop of Government suport for housing and after inspectors found “serious shortcomings” with Shropshire Council's key Local Plan.
A spokesperson for Boningale said it “will decline to make a comment at this stage".
A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said it was “not a case of the council seeking to run the clock down". It added that there had not been a decision to extend the deadline.
“Councils are subject to statutory timeframes when determining planning applications,” said a council spokesperson.
“But in some cases, it is considered more time is required in order to provide a robust decision.
“This can be for a range of unforeseen reasons, for instance the need for new evidence such as supplemental reports, or where additional public consultation is required.
“In these circumstances the council and developer will usually agree a formal ‘extension of time.”
The spokesperson added that where the developer does not agree to this extension “and there has not been a decision made in the statutory timeframe” a developer is able to appeal against "non-determination".
The spokesperson added that “in reality this is rare, and this is not a case of the council seeking to run the clock down".
The council spokesperson added that the application “will now be subject to an appeal process, and it will be for the appointed planning inspector in this case to determine if it is to be approved or refused".
Since the planning application was lodged last year it has received an overwhelming amount of opposition. Some 142 comments were recorded as objections, with 142 of them being against.
A community group was established and a coordinated effort to lodge opposition to the development.
Jessica Collins said: “This amount of housing will ruin our small rural village. Tilstock is already at risk of over-development.
“Tilstock already floods in several locations, one of which is particularly close to the location of the site.
“Increasing housing further will only make situations worse for everyone. We are not in any need of any more housing.”
Other also spoke of flooding issues.
Kevin Williams added: “Tilstock is a village which has had new homes built over the last few years.
“Tilstock had three allocated sites in the SAMDev for a total of 50 houses. These have all been recently completed. If a further 70 houses were to be added, Tilstock will have grown by 70 per cent.
