Shropshire Council will look at sites for 1,500 new houses - potentially on green belt - as it looks to salvage its local plan

It comes after the authority's local plan process was thrown into chaos last month, when inspectors outlined a series of major concerns with the proposal.

They even warned that the plan may need to be scrapped if the council is not able to address the issues.

The local plan is one of the most important documents any council produces - setting out where houses and business developments can be built for every town and village within its boundaries.

Without an up-to-date local plan developers are more likely to be successful with 'speculative' applications for sites.

The letter put forward for approval accepts and seeks to address a number of concerns outlined by the inspectors - but also rejects some, and asks for inspectors to reconsider whether they are required.

The council said it still hopes to get the plan adopted by 'mid 2026', but doing so will require going ahead with a number of potentially controversial proposals.

One of the most significant issues is the council has now said it will look for sites for 1,500 new homes, and three hectares of employment land in the east of the county - covering areas such as Shifnal, Albrighton and Tong.

The situation will see Green Belt options considered and could open the door for controversial developments such as Boningale Homes' plans for more than 800 homes to the south of Albrighton off Holyhead Road, as well as the Bradford Estates' plans for 3,000 homes and a major employment site on land to the west of Tong.

Both sites are on the Green Belt, but will not be the only proposal considered - or suggested by developers - to make up the shortfall.

The council also intends to tell inspectors it will find a new employment site for Shrewsbury, after it scrapped a previous plan for for a 45 hectare employment site to the west of the A49.

The council said that it will reject a request to extend the local plan by three years - currently it runs from 2016 to 2038.

The matter is complicated by the council's requirement to start a new local plan, before it has even completed the current one.

Changes by the Labour Government mean Shropshire will be required to build nearly double the amount of homes each year -  up from 1,070 to 1,994.

To make sure it complies with the demand the council will need to start work on a new local plan next autumn, meaning it could be in the incredibly unusual situation of working on two local plans at the same time.

The government changes - made to the National Planning Policy Framework in December - also mean the council now no longer has a five year land supply.

The issue is a major problem for councils, with the policy meaning they have to be able to demonstrate enough sites cater for five years of development.

Where a five year land supply is not in place it can be difficult for councils to reject applications for sites not included in the local plan.

Assessing the current situation the council says that while it does not mean it will have to approve all applications, it will have to take a "more positive approach" to some of the early sites included in the draft local plan.

The council has said it may be able to add sites to its land supply, and refresh its assessment - taking it over the five year benchmark.

The council's letter to inspectors asks for their verdict on the response by February 28, saying: “Any delay beyond this will inevitably result in the need to extend the project plan period by a commensurate amount."

It adds: "If you are minded not to reconsider the issues we have requested, we see no alternative than for you to formally find the draft Shropshire Local Plan unsound and write to us on this basis requiring the withdrawal of the Plan."

Chris Schofield, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for planning and regulatory services, explained the council's position, saying: “We’ve reflected upon the Inspector’s’ letter, and responding in full to all of the soundness concerns within the six month timeframe is not considered either possible or beneficial.

"But, neither do we wish to withdraw the draft Local Plan immediately.

"Our proposed response proposes a compromise position, where there is agreement to undertake further work on some issues, but clearly establishes the issues where we now request the Inspectors reconsider their conclusions.

“Under this option it should be recognised there are issues where we may not fully agree with the conclusions of the Inspectors, but are nevertheless willing to seek to undertake the work required within the six month timeframe in order to move forward positively.

“However, if the inspectors aren’t willing to accept our proposals it will be for them to find the Plan unsound and to write to us explaining why.”