'Shifnal cannot be the easy option': Meeting hears housing concerns of town that's doubled in size

Residents of a Shropshire town that has nearly doubled in size packed out a meeting over concerns about “unsustainable” housing plans.

The Shifnal meeting was organised by the town’s MP, Mark Pritchard, along with Shifnal Town Council, and was joined by Shropshire Council cabinet member in charge of planning, Councillor David Walker, and representatives of the town’s campaign group, Shifnal Matters.

The meeting packed out Shifnal Village Hall on Friday evening (October 30) with more than 150 residents attending.

Mr Pritchard said the unanimous feeling was that ongoing housing plans for the town are “disproportionate and unsustainable”.

Shifnal has seen an explosion in its population since the turn of the century, increasing from just over 6,000 to just under 10,000 in 2021.

The pace of development has shown no signs of slowing, with the town a continuing area of focus for housing schemes as developers seek permission for more than 800 new homes on several sites.

Current proposals include Harrow Estates’ plans for 500 homes on fields off Coppice Green Lane, opposite Idsall School, and 150,000 sq ft of business land to the southeast off Upton Lane, plans for 200 homes off Lamledge Lane, 69 to the north of Meadow Drive, and 34 homes to the north of Watts Drive.

Mr Pritchard said there had been an agreement between himself, the town council and Shifnal Matters to work on limiting the scale of development proposed for the town.

It comes as Shropshire Council is facing huge increases in proposals for housing across the county due to its failed Local Plan, lack of a five-year housing land supply, and a huge increase in government housing targets.

Neighbouring Albrighton is currently waiting with bated breath to find out whether the Government’s housing secretary Angela Rayner will approve 800 homes planned for green belt land following a planning inquiry last month.

Speaking following the meeting on Friday Mr Pritchard said: “The community meeting was well attended and underscored the need to protect Shifnal’s green belt and open spaces.

“It was agreed that Shifnal Town Council, Shifnal Matters, and myself, as Shifnal’s Member of Parliament, will continue to work together to try and reduce any new housing in Shifnal to more sustainable numbers than what is being proposed.

“Shifnal has taken more than its fair share of new housing over the last decade, causing huge stress and strain on local roads and drainage, as well as on local schools and the GP surgery.

“No one at the meeting was against housing, but any new housing needs to be in the right place and in the right numbers, and the numbers proposed for Shifnal are disproportionate and unsustainable.”

Shifnal’s mayor, Councillor Paul Williamson, said the encouraging attendance at the meeting had shown the strength of feeling over the issue.

He said: “I was extremely pleased and I think it shows the concern residents have about the ongoing scale of development.”

Speaking at the meeting Councillor Williamson had highlighted the staggering growth of the town in recent years - and its comparison to other Shropshire towns.

He said: “In 2011, our population was just under 7,000. By 2021, it was just under 10,000 - an increase of around 44 per cent in just 10 years.

“Compare that with two Shropshire towns of roughly the same size: over the same period Whitchurch grew by around three per cent, while Ludlow’s population fell by around two per cent. But here in Shifnal, as I said earlier, we grew by around 44 per cent.

“That is a completely different scale of growth.

“And the housing figures tell the same story. Between 2016 and 2023, just under 1,200 homes were completed in Shifnal, compared with around 370 in Whitchurch and around 340 in Ludlow. In fact, more homes were completed in Shifnal than in Whitchurch and Ludlow combined.

“The scale of change here has been exceptional.”

“Being well-connected should automatically mean ever more housing”

The mayor called for protection against the scale of development, saying: “At times, Shifnal seems to have become the Shropshire equivalent of the California gold rush for developers. Once one finds an opportunity, plenty more seem keen to follow.

“But being well-connected should not automatically mean ever more housing.

“Taken together, the applications and speculative proposals currently being discussed or promoted around Shifnal could amount to more than 800 additional homes. They are at different stages, and I am not suggesting they will all be built.

“But anything approaching that scale could mean something close to another 2,000 residents - a further increase of around 21 per cent on our 2021 population.”

Councillor Williamson said the town should not be seen as an easy option, warning that once the green belt has gone it cannot be replaced.

He said: “Ultimately, this is about protecting something important. We have our historic town centre, our history, our surrounding countryside and, above all, a strong community.

“That countryside is part of everyday life, whether it is a walk up Lodge Hill, along Nanny Murphy’s Lane, or simply enjoying the footpaths around our town.

“Growth should add to that. It should not overwhelm it.

“And there is one thing we cannot undo. Once our green belt is concreted over, it is lost forevermore.

“So the message from Shifnal Town Council is straightforward. Future development must be careful, proportionate and properly planned.

“It must respect the character of the town, recognise what Shifnal has already contributed, and ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with any future growth.

“Shifnal cannot simply be seen as the easy option for more development.”

Shifnal Matters, which was set up in 2019 over continued concerns about development in the town, also addressed the meeting.

Representative Zoe Turner told the audience the group is “not against development” but “against unsustainable development”.

She said: “We are facing some very real and immediate concerns. Recent proposals continue to place significant pressure on Shifnal and nearby communities.

“Developers are pursuing hundreds of additional homes across a number of sites around the town despite longstanding concerns about infrastructure capacity.

“The question we should all ask is this: has infrastructure kept pace with growth?

“Most residents would answer no.

“We already experience increasing traffic congestion. Residents struggle to secure GP appointments. Dental services remain under pressure, with no NHS dentist based in Shifnal. Drainage concerns persist, road networks are increasingly congested, schools face growing demand for places at both primary and secondary level, with increasing numbers of pupils attending Idsall from outside the immediate area.”

She added: “Shifnal Matters continues to advocate for a simple principle: Infrastructure first. Not housing first.

“Schools first, healthcare first, road improvements first, drainage first, community facilities first, then development. That is what sustainable development looks like.”