Developers give updates on 8,000 homes in Telford

Developers and the council have reached key agreements over three huge areas to the north of Telford that are due to see some 8,000 new homes built.

Three statements of common ground for Bratton, Muxton, and Wheat Leasows (Wappenshall) were agreed over the lunch break on the first day of the second week of hearings into the Telford & Wrekin Local Plan.

A councillor told the government inspectors examining the soundness of the local plan that it now seems to be a “done deal.”

Councillor Nigel Dugmore (Conservative, Muxton) said: “It all seems to be a done deal with Bratton and Muxton well advanced.

“What’s the point in having an inspectors report if things are going ahead?”

Councillor Jenny Urey (Independent, Muxton) told the hearing that there would be “gridlock” on the roads.

“Once this is covered in concrete, there is no going back.”

The local plan examination on Tuesday was also given updates on progress towards planning applications being lodged with council planners. The inspectors are in the borough to test the ‘soundness’ of the local plan.

Mark Rose, representing Bloor Homes, said plans for Bratton are “very well progressed”.

“We are very close to having an application submitted for delivery at the earliest opportunity in the next few weeks following the hearing sessions.”

The Bratton site would see 2,100 homes and two hectares of employment land developed in two sub-sites by David Wilson Homes and Bloor Homes. It would have primary school, a local centre, and green space.

The hearing was told that the plan is to have 105 homes in the Bloor site built by 2028-29.

Simon Hawley, from David Wilson Homes, said: “David Wilson Homes has been working with the council for some time.”

The developer is aiming to lodge a plan “in the next few months” with 60 homes built in 2028-29 to help the council meet its target to build 20,000 homes up to 2040.

Mr Rose said the experience of preparing to make applications at Bratton helped to set a “precedent” for other development sites.

Planning applications for Muxton and Wheat Leasows (Wappenshall) are also being put together, the hearings were told on Tuesday.

In Muxton the council’s local plan sees a minimum of 2,700 homes and up to six hectares of employment land.

Jon Bradburn, of the Muxton Consortium of developers, said one planning application for the site is set to be lodged “towards the summer”.

Landowners involved are the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Gladman Developments, Davidsons Developments, Telford & Wrekin Council, Mr P Ward, Shropshire Homes and Bloor Homes.

“It is progressing well,” Mr Bradburn told the inspectors. Some 150 homes could be built by 2029-30.

James Dunn, the council’s director of prosperity and investment, said a planning application for the council’s and Mr Ward’s land is “intended” for this autumn.

The Wappenshall/Wheat Leasows land has been earmarked to take 3,100 homes, 68 hectares of employment land, and a secondary school to cover the north of Telford.

A spokesman for the Wappenshall Consortium of Homes England, Hallam Land, Bellway Homes Limited, David Udale Limited and Samuel Wood told inspectors that a planning application is set to be lodged in the “third quarter” of 2026.

They are hoping for planning approval in the first quarter of 2028 and to have built 20 homes by 2029-30.