800-home scheme refused in unanimous vote

A controversial proposal to build 800 homes on green belt land on the Shropshire/Wolverhampton border has been unanimously turned down.

Councillors on the Shropshire Council southern planning committee who considered the scheme in Albrighton were in no doubt that they couldn’t support it – to the delight of residents who have long protested against it.

As well as 800 houses, Boningdale Developments’ outline application includes a care home, a secondary school and a ‘local centre’ on 48 hectares of land off Patshull Road.

The firm’s argument was that the site is on ‘grey belt’ land, not the green belt. But Shropshire Council’s Northern Planning Committee did not agree, and at a meeting on Tuesday (December 16) unanimously agreed with their officer’s recommendation to refuse the application. Boningale Developments has confirmed it will appeal the decision.

The proposal has long been met with huge opposition from local residents through the Albrighton Development Action Group (ADAG).

Many members of the public were at the planning meeting and applauded whenever a councillor said they were against the scheme. In total, 1,157 public representations were submitted, with the overwhelming majority objecting. Only 28 were in support, which planning officers said were from the wider area between Shifnal and Bridgnorth.

Outlining the reasons the application should be turned down, officers said the scheme does not comply with Shropshire Council’s own planning policies, and would represent “inappropriate development in the green belt”, adding that its location is also “unsuitable”.

Boningale Developments said it was “disappointed” with the recommendation and, ahead of the meeting, urged committee members to “consider the huge infrastructure investment” and the “considerable financial undertaking of defending any refusal at appeal”.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the firm was backed by Millie Dodd from Just Build Homes, who reeled off a list of people who supported the proposal and the reasons why the homes should be built.

Megan  Wilson, a planning director at consultancy firm Marrons, also spoke in favour of the scheme. Meanwhile, a representative from ADAG spoke against it, as well as Councillor Colin Noakes (Albrighton and Donington Parish Council) and Councillor Nigel Lumby (Shropshire Council member for Albrighton).

Every committee member outlined why they felt the scheme shouldn’t be granted, with the assessment that it was on green belt land being at the core. The chair Councillor Andy Boddington therefore proposed to go with the recommendation to refuse the application, which was unanimously approved.

Following the decision, a spokesperson for ADAG said: “We are not against house building and we support the 770 houses in the process of being built, which is a suitable plan for our town.

“The council’s strong refusal vindicates a 22-month campaign against the profit-driven, speculative house building plan that is of the wrong scale, in the wrong location, unsustainable and completely inappropriate.

“Albrighton came out in unprecedented and overwhelming opposition, with 3,734 residents signing a petition and over 1,100 objections registered on the planning portal.

“ADAG is pleased that Shropshire Council has not been swayed by Boningale Homes’ threats that they will take this to appeal or the High Court – and the decision clearly demonstrates that this scheme is unsustainable and inappropriate.

“Local people will not be bulldozed by this kind of speculative, profit-led, unsustainable development that will cause irreversible harm for future generations.

“We will continue to fight to protect our green belt, whether it is at appeal or against other misguided plans that come forward.

“ADAG has already committed to helping develop Albrighton’s next Neighbourhood Plan (in conjunction with the developing Shropshire Local Plan) and we look forward to continuing to represent the best interests of the people of Albrighton.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Boningale Developments said: “We are disappointed that the southern planning committee at Shropshire Council has voted against our plans for Albrighton.

“We remain steadfast in our view that this proposal would help Albrighton to continue to be a sustainable and vibrant location to live for generations to come and, as such, will now begin preparing for an appeal.

“Shropshire Council faces a severe housing land supply shortfall and is unable to demonstrate sufficient land to meet its statutory obligation of maintaining a minimum five years’ worth of deliverable housing.

“Our proposals would make a meaningful contribution to addressing the worsening unmet need for new homes in Shropshire in one of its most sustainable locations – the decision by today’s committee members undoubtedly puts pressure on other settlements to accommodate additional housing, with Albrighton, once again, being denied the opportunity to grow sustainably and take its fair share of Shropshire’s housing requirement.

“Alongside 800 homes, the scheme proposes numerous community benefits and much-needed infrastructure, including a secondary school, care home, local centre and a new GP surgery with pharmacy and minor injuries unit, which will not be delivered without private investment.”