Shropshire Local Plan: Two weeks of planning battles due to kick off

The Shropshire local plan will set out which parts of the county will be developed but only after the 359-page document has been put under a line-by-line examination over two weeks.

Even before the examination process gets underway, campaigners claimed that the start should have been postponed to give more time for residents to have their say after Covid.

Tony Jemmett, of Shifnal Matters campaign group, said: “We have always maintained that due to Covid-19 restrictions the local plan review should have been halted to allow residents to fully take part in the decision making process when it was safe to do so”.

Shifnal Matters was formed in 2018 to oppose plans for more than 2,000 houses and 40 hectares of employment land being built in the town.

Campaigners say there will be no improvements to roads, doctors' surgeries or schools and a huge loss of greenbelt and natural habitat.

Tuesday's opening day of the examination will see planning inspectors Louise Crosby, Carole Dillon and Nick Palmer examining whether the council has complied with the relevant procedural and legal requirements.

Some 23 organisations and individuals are set to speak on the issues, including countryside campaigners CPRE, Shifnal Matters, Longden Village Action Group, Much Wenlock Town Council and Shropshire Climate Action Partnership.

There will also be a range of developers, including Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes.

Shifnal Matters is urging residents throughout Shropshire to show their concern by attending the two-week process.

"Local people need to show they are concerned with these plans and the way to do this is through strength in numbers, said Mr Jemmett.

"Shifnal Matters will be at the hearing and would love to see as many of our supporters in attendance as possible."

The examination starts at 9.30am at the Sovereign Suite, Shrewsbury Town Football Club, Oteley Road, Shrewsbury.

Local planning authorities, such as Shropshire Council, have a statutory responsibility to maintain an up-to-date local plan, and national policy indicates that local plans should be regularly reviewed, with the expectation this is done at least every five years.

Crucially, having a local plan in place helps the council maintain control over planning decisions during the period to 2038.

The decision to submit the plan for examination was made at a meeting of the full council on July 15, 2021.

It was submitted to the Secretary of State for examination on September 3, 2021. If approved by the examiners, the Shropshire Local Plan will become the county's key strategic planning bible.

Shropshire Council has been asked for comment.