Three large 'sustainable communities' with nearly 8,000 homes planned for north of Telford

The council launched a local plan review back in 2020, and will present its updated proposals to members of the authority's Labour cabinet on Thursday, February 13.

The local plan is one of the most important documents produced by councils across the country. They set out where homes, schools, health facilities and business developments will be built in the future.

Telford & Wrekin Council's local plan covers 2020 to 2040 and includes around 8,312 new homes for Telford, 175  new homes for Newport, and 101 homes for the rural areas of Telford. It also aims to create as many as 17,000 jobs.

Included in the plans are three significant new 'sustainable communities' to the north of the borough, complete with a number of schools, jobs, parks and public open spaces for the developments.

Ultimately they are intended to deliver a total of 7,900 homes - although not all of those are targeted for completion during the plan period.

One of the proposals is for land to the north of Bratton and Shawbirch. The development would be made up of 2,100 homes and two hectares of employment land over the plan period.

A second is planned for a 182 hectare site to the North East of Muxton. The proposal is for an ultimate total of 2,700 homes - with 2,305 of those to be delivered up to 2040. The site will also provide 5.6 hectares of employment land.

A third community is proposed for land North of the A442 at Wheat Leasowes. That scheme would eventually be made up of 3,100 homes, with 2,190 of those to be delivered in the plan period. The site will also provide around 68 hectares of employment land, which includes 22 hectares of existing employment allocations.

Describing the projects, the council's local plan states: "Three new Sustainable Communities located to the north of Bratton, at Wappenshall and land northeast of Muxton are recommended for allocation in the plan.

"These sites will form new communities that will be integrated into Telford via new walking and cycling links and green network corridors.

"They will include five new primary schools, one new secondary school, parks, public open space, local centres, employment opportunities and a mix of housing to meet a range of needs."

The council has stressed that there is no development planned to encroach on The Wrekin - with the authority committed to preserving the landmark landscape.

The proposal also includes an allocation for homes on the former Aga site in Coalbrookdale - land which was the subject of a controversial application rejected by a planning inspector.

The allocation is however considerably reduced, proposing 60 homes, as opposed to the plan for 101 which was turned down.

The council said the overall plan is intended to provide young people with the chance to buy their own home, while helping older residents to 'downsize into suitable accommodation'.

 The authority outlines its ambitions for families to have access to properties that 'meet their needs'.

 Ahead of next week's cabinet meeting the council said the plan will "shape the borough’s future by securing investment in infrastructure, creating jobs, and delivering quality homes, all while protecting Telford and Wrekin’s green spaces and heritage". 

The council said that there were limited opportunities to develop on brown-field sites in the borough, but it had looked to maximise those where possible.

The plan also includes policies on energy efficient buildings - intended to drive down costs for residents, as well as plans to tackle stalled development sites.

A statement from the council stressed its commitment to the borough's parks and green spaces.

It said: "The plan also protects Telford and Wrekin’s green network, which spans over 2,500 hectares, and protects 23 local nature reserves and more than 300 Green Guarantee sites from future development.

"The borough was recently named one of the top 20 greenest places in the UK, and the council is committed to preserving and enhancing these spaces for residents to enjoy, and creating new accessible green spaces."

Councillor Carolyn Healy, Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability, said: “We’ve listened to local people, and we’ve worked hard to ensure the revised Local Plan reflects the feedback received from our communities. This plan protects greenspaces, cares for and supports our existing communities, and invests in homes and infrastructure for everyone in the borough.

“It will provide quality homes for all our residents, meaning young people growing up here in Telford can aspire to own their own home locally, families can move into properties that meet their needs, and our older residents can downsize within their communities. The Local Plan is the foundation for building communities for generations to come.” 

If approved by the cabinet the Local Plan will be reviewed at Full Council on February 27, before moving into the Regulation 19 public consultation on Monday, March 17.

During that stage, residents and stakeholders will have a further opportunity to provide comments on the soundness of the plan before it is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination. 

For more information on the Telford and Wrekin Local Plan, visit: www.telfordandwrekinlocalplan.co.uk