Village campaign group organises meeting in opposition to 800-home Shropshire green belt plan

A campaign group battling plans for 800 homes on village green belt land is hosting a public meeting this week.

Residents of Albrighton are being urged to turn out for the Albrighton Development Action Group (ADAG) meeting, organised as its latest opposition to Boningale Developments’s proposal for the village.

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The meeting is partly to fundraise ahead of the latest planning battle against the scheme.

Boningale saw its plans for a huge development rejected by Shropshire Council in December.

But the firm has since appealed the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, and is specifically asking that the appeal takes place at a planning inquiry.

The company has said it will not be commenting while an appeal is ongoing, but following the December rejection said: “We remain steadfast in our view that this proposal would help Albrighton to continue to be a sustainable and vibrant location to live for generations to come.”

ADAG and Shropshire Council are both fighting the plans, with ADAG considering becoming a ‘Rule 6’ party, which would mean it becomes an extra formal participant in the process and can employ legal and planning experts to cross-examine the developer.

A total of 3,734 residents signed a previous petition against the scheme, and more than 1,100 objections were registered against the plans.

ADAG said it hopes to see the level of local support continue when it holds the meeting, at 7pm on Thursday (April 23) at the Red House.

“Albrighton came out in unprecedented and overwhelming opposition when the plans were announced nearly two years ago and we want to evoke this same passion and show Boningale Developments that we will fight them all the way,” explained Claire Lakin, ADAG spokeswoman.

“The public meeting will be the perfect opportunity to explain what the situation is, how the appeal process works and what is involved in being a ‘Rule 6’ party. Importantly, we will also kickstart a new fundraising bid, with thousands of pounds needed to employ legal and planning experts.”

She added: “We’ve beaten Boningale Developments once, with Shropshire Council unanimously rejecting its hideous proposals last year. Now is the time for the people of Albrighton to stand on the right side of history and help save 56 hectares of green belt and our way of life.”

ADAG has stressed that the public inquiry would be a new examination of the proposal, with the planning inspector deciding on the proposal from scratch.

As a result the group has warned residents who previously objected that they have only weeks to make comments on the plans to the planning inspectorate, with a deadline of May 18.

The public meeting will also see a decision made on whether the group becomes a ‘Rule 6’ party, which means it would sit with Shropshire Council in front of the Planning Inspectorate.

Such a decision would represent a major and costly undertaking.

Ms Lakin said: “This is the biggest battle that there has ever been in Albrighton to fight against the permanent loss of green belt land. The proposed development could split Albrighton in two and put unsustainable pressure on the community, roads, schools, healthcare and infrastructure.

“Once this land is gone, it is gone forever. And if this appeal succeeds, it could set a precedent for further large-scale speculative development across the area.”

She added: “We are holding the public meeting to update residents and raise funds to deploy a barrister to present the strongest possible case on behalf of the overwhelming majority of Albrighton residents.

“ADAG has and continues to support controlled and well-planned development, but this proposal is in the wrong place. It is far too big and will engulf Albrighton, our amenities and our infrastructure.”

The group has been fundraising to pay for the battle, with a target of raising £20,000.

Doors open for the meeting at 6.30pm.