'This is a village - not a town!' Objections pour in against 800 homes plan within days
30 objections have been lodged with Shropshire Council less than a week after plans to build 800 homes were submitted.
In March, developers Boningale Homes announced their plans to built a new 800-home development in Albrighton near Shifnal.
Atop the hundreds of new homes there are also plans for a new secondary school, care home and doctors surgery, with the company saying the development would create more than 1,000 jobs and inject £62million into the local economy.
Campaigners, Albrighton Village Action Group, which was set up after the plans were revealed earlier this year, have vowed to fight the proposals to protect the green belt land that the development would be built on.
The outline application was officially submitted and opened for consultation on July 8. Within days, 30 objections have been lodged.
Of those, most were concerned about the impact on the rural community.
"The character of this village is already being eroded and will be severely impacted by further building," wrote Mr Andrew Wilkinson.
Mr David Rock agreed: "This is a village with a community feel. Not a town. We moved away from that to the countryside."
Mrs Patricia Trainer, who recently returned to the UK after almost 20 years in New Zealand, said the "loss of 48 hectares of green belt" would be "a tragedy".
"For Albrighton it would change the whole footprint in a detrimental way totally ruining a village - making it into a town," she added.
Mrs Victoria Bromley said the "huge development" would "destroy a community".
A spokesperson for Boningale Homes told the Shropshire Star: “This submitted proposal is an important step towards helping deliver much-needed high quality housing across Shropshire and the Black Country.
“We are a developer with strong local links and our Millfields development in Albrighton has been really well received as it enters its third phase.
“We have carried out an extensive public consultation process on this new site and have listened to all views.
“We are clear and confident that this is a very positive scheme for Albrighton which delivers key community facilities, as well as new homes.
“The housing development would come with a host of benefits to the local community, from a minor injuries unit, pharmacy and GP surgery to a secondary school for up to 750 pupils and a supermarket.
“There would be a clear economic benefit too, with the overall impact of the development delivering 1,200 jobs and bringing a £60 million boost to the Shropshire and local economy.”
The planning application can be viewed online on Shropshire Council's planning portal, using reference number: 24/02108/OUT
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