'Infrastructure already at breaking point': Villagers react to plans for 62 more homes

Earlier this month, developers applied for outline planning permission for a plot of land south of the B5069 in the village of St Martins, near Oswestry.

The nine-acre plot of agricultural land between the Oak Drive estate and the top of Moors Bank was identified for housing development for around 60 dwellings in the emerging Shropshire Local Plan. 

A pre-application submission in May last year suggested 71 dwellings could be built on the site, but the number has since been reduced to 62 and several changes have taken place including the addition of more public open space.

Despite those changes, some villagers haven't reacted well to the plans and have raised concerns about the potential impact on the roads and local services, which they claim are already strained.

Mr Mellor wrote: "The existing infrastructure is already at breaking point, with the school full to capacity, lack of parking for parents at the school, and lack of proper footpaths through the village - wide enough to allow wheelchairs or pushchairs which make it dangerous to walk alongside many roads." 

Mrs Jones agreed: "The infrastructure of the village simply cannot cope with yet another building development. The village is now more like a small town, we have no doctor's surgery, the school is full, transport links are awful." 

Issues regarding road safety were on the minds of many of the objectors, 11 of who have submitted their opposition since the consultation period opened on February 12.

"Since moving to the village two years ago, I am in disbelief at how much traffic the village encounters. The speed of some vehicles is ridiculously dangerous," wrote Miss Pugh.

She added: "You only have to sit outside the school to witness the chaos that unfolds when the children arrive and exit the school day. Sadly, this is an accident or fatality waiting to happen. More houses mean more cars, families with children who will be subject to increasing dangerous safety issues."

Mrs Ford agreed: "Roads through the village, especially near the school, are treacherous - children are literally running the gauntlet just trying to get home from school safely."

The consultation period for the proposal is still underway and is open to comments until March 6, the full plans are available to view online at Shropshire Council's planning portal using reference number: 25/00361/OUT