Huge 800-home Albrighton green belt development set for decision soon as council reveals its recommendation
A decision date has been set for proposals to build more than 800 homes on green belt land in Albrighton.
The proposal, from Boningale Homes, will go before Shropshire Council's Southern Planning Committee on Tuesday, December 16.
The application requests permission to build 800 houses, a care home, a secondary school, and a 'local centre' on 48 hectares of land off Patshull Lane.
The proposal has been met with huge opposition from local residents through the Albrighton Development Action Group.
A paper prepared for the committee recommends members turn the application down.
Committee members will make a decision on whether to go along with the recommendation at Tuesday's meeting.
It also confirms that a total of 1,157 public representations have been submitted on the plans.
The committee report states: "The majority of the comments are from Albrighton residents raising objections to the proposed development, however, there are 28 support representations received from a wider area between Shifnal and Bridgnorth."
Outlining the reasons for recommending the application is turned down, the paper says it does not comply with Shropshire Council's own planning policies, and would represent "inappropriate development in the green belt", adding that its location is "unsuitable".
It states: "The proposed development site is wholly located in green belt countryside outside of any settlement development boundary which is not safeguarded or allocated land, and is not regarded as being grey belt.
"Development in this location would be incompatible with the principles of sustainable development in that it would undermine the development strategy set out in the adopted Shropshire Council Core Strategy and Site Allocations and Management of Development (SAMDev) Plan which seek to facilitate residential development within a sustainable settlement hierarchy.
"In addition to the proposal being inappropriate development in the green belt, it would result in harm to the character and appearance of the area."
It adds: "Whilst it is acknowledged that the proposal offers a number of wider local community benefits beyond the site itself, these have not been identified as responding to a local need.
"The adverse impacts of this unsuitable location would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposed development contrary to the presumption in favour of sustainable development set out in the National Planning Policy Framework."
Specifically referencing the council's position on the green belt site, the report states: "The local planning authority has accorded substantial weight to the high level of harm which would result from the loss of this 48-hectare section of the West Midlands Metropolitan Green Belt through the proposed development.
"The proposed development site is within a parcel of green belt characterised by agriculture, tree lines and cover, and an absence of urbanising influences which make a strong contribution to checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas and to assisting in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.
"The proposed development site is not regarded as grey belt and consequently the proposed development is inappropriate development in the green belt. It is therefore, by definition, harmful to the green belt and prejudicial to the reasons for including land within it."
Summarising the objections to the plans, the report highlights concerns over the impact on the character of Albrighton.
It states: "The proposal seeks to create a separate commercial centre which will threaten the viability of the established heart of the village and existing centre.
"The dense urban style of development proposed would be disconnected and incongruous in relation to the unique character, historical significance and semi-rural appearance of the village, irreversibly altering the essence of its community and character."
Other issues raised include worries about a strain on infrastructure.
The report details the arguments from the developers seeking to gain approval for the plans.
It lists the council's own agreement to provide housing for Black Country councils as part of a duty to co-operate, with the report stating that the site "is the single most appropriate location to meet said need".
It also highlights that Shropshire Council cannot demonstrate a sufficient supply of housing, adding that the supply is worsening.
Other points put forward by the developers include that the land is not of "high environmental or landscape value" and that the affordable housing created would be "a significant benefit in circumstances where the council is not delivering sufficient affordable homes to meet pressing need".
They also highlight that the development would provide market housing with "new, quality homes, in a community where people wish to live".
The application will be considered by the committee at Guildhall in Shrewsbury, from 2.30pm on Tuesday, December 16.
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