Decision day looms for huge 1,500-home plan near Bridgnorth as developers eye up sites across county
Decision day looms this week for a huge 1,500-home development planned for the outskirts of a Shropshire town.
Shropshire Council's southern planning committee will tomorrow (February 24) make a decision on proposals for a new garden village at Tasley, on the outskirts of Bridgnorth.
The proposal is being put forward by Bloor Homes and Taylor Wimpey, for a 112-hectare site to the west of the town.
The plans include 1,500 new houses, a primary school, 14.6 hectares of employment land, a 'local centre', sports pitches including a 3G pitch, and a 'country park'.
A report prepared for the committee recommends the plan is approved, citing the council's ongoing difficulties in demonstrating a five-year land supply as a significant factor.
The recommendation comes after opposition to the plan from Tasley Parish Council and Bridgnorth Town Council.
The public have also registered feelings on the application with 438 responding: 347 objecting, 84 in support and seven neutral.
The site was included in Shropshire Council's proposed local plan, but the plan was effectively thrown out by inspectors meaning the land is not currently allocated for housing.
The report to go before committee outlines its recommendation, explaining that the lack of a five-year land supply tilts the balance in favour of the plan.
It states: "While the proposed development lies outside the defined development boundary and therefore conflicts with policies intended to restrict largescale residential and commercial growth in the countryside, the council’s current inability to demonstrate a five year housing land supply engages the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
"Therefore, planning permission should only be refused where any adverse impacts of a proposed development would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits."
It adds: "The proposed scheme includes policy-compliant affordable housing quantities, and multiple socio-economic benefits. The balancing exercise for this site is consequently weighed heavily in favour of approval, and there are no other material considerations which, when weighed in the planning balance, outweigh the presumption in favour of sustainable development."
The development is the latest significant housing proposal set for a decision in the Shropshire Council area, with several major planning applications currently submitted for towns across the county.
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