Shrewsbury housing development would have 'serious impact' on area

FCC Environment has applied for outline planning permission to build 52 homes on land off Mousecroft Lane in the town.

More than 160 people have objected to the proposals and now the Shrewsbury branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has added its name to the list of objectors.

In an objection from the group, it says that from 1999 to 2003 two members of the group carried out a landscape character assessment of 66 areas on the outskirts of the town, of which, 14 were placed in the first of five categories.

"Nearly all of these are along the River Severn, its old river bed or tributaries," the group said.

"A notable exception is the area north of the Nobold Community Woodland, surveyed on November 25, 2002.

"Landscapes in this category are described as 'outstandingly rich in character. It is generally undeveloped and unaffected by any surrounding development, which, if present, is well screened. Development within or adjacent to these areas would be extremely detrimental to the Shropshire landscape as a whole, and to the setting and character of Shrewsbury in particular'."

Activities

The group adds that because the area is well screened, development would have less impact on the wider landscape, but that for the same reason "screening is all the more significant in the local setting".

It says: "Introduction of housing as proposed would have a very serious impact, not just because of the houses themselves but also from traffic and the activities of residents."

The group adds that the area is protected through its designation as a wildlife site, and there is "already much housing" nearby and the area is not one of the allocated sites for housing in SAMDev under the local plan.

It is expected the development will be made up of a variety of houses ranging from two-bedroom to five-bedroom properties, as well as a new country park.

The site has long been a favourite spot with dog walkers, anglers and families enjoying a day out, and a community group has vowed to campaign to save it from development.

Residents living nearby say the development would create traffic congestion and increase pollution levels, ruin a wildlife haven and cause untold damage to one of Shrewsbury’s remaining green spaces.

They also say that the local infrastructure including a number of local schools would not cope with a growth in population.