Town centre car parks could become housing in new plans

Three Telford town centre car parks – one disused and the other two currently active – could be turned over for development if major issues can be overcome.

With planning inspectors due to examine the details of the Telford and Wrekin local plan over three weeks in the new year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has taken a look through documents forming the reviewed local plan.

The mixed-use sites for both homes and businesses include some green belt land, the site of an office block, a town centre charity shop and three big town centre car parks, including the one at Telford Central Railway Station.

The sites proposed for mixed use make up a small part of the overall updated development plan. One site, in Station Quarter, is already being developed.

The Blue Willow Car Park, near Malinsgate Police Station and the town’s court buildings, has been disused since about 2022.

But the nearby Lime Green Car Park near Odeon Cinema, and the car park at Telford Central Railway Station, are currently in use.

Highways officials at Telford & Wrekin Council have highlighted issues that will have to be overcome before any development of the sites can take place.

Some 158 houses could take the land at the Blue Willow car park while another 138 could be built on the next door Lime Green Car Park (Odeon cinema).

Together both car park sites “have the potential to bring in residential / mixed use development at scale similar to the current Station Quarter development site”, planners say.

“The site is a brownfield site that is well located within Telford Town Centre with access to a number of services and facilities.”

Highways officers at the council have already fed views into the process.

They have pointed out a need for developers to deal with what happens to all the cars that would be displaced.

“If the land is required for its present purpose then it cannot come forward for development,” they wrote of the Blue Willow and Lime Green sites.

But planners have said the Blue Willow car park is “potentially suitable for mixed use, to include residential housing and main town centre uses on ground floor.”

They added that “we would require evidence to show potential loss of ground service car parking and a masterplan to justify the loss”.

The car park was identified as a potential site by its owner who intends to “develop [it] for residential use”.

“Recognising there are several sites along Woodhouse Central being promoted, we would require evidence to show potential loss of ground service car parking and a masterplan to justify the loss,” documents revealed.

The Telford Central Station car park proposal was included as a “late runner” for consideration.

Highways officials said that any “compromises to this operation in terms of parking sacrifice would be unacceptable unless robustly demonstrated parts are not in active demand or ever will be”.

“The access onto Hollinswood Interchange is sensitive due to capacity issues and being non signalised, meaning exit is only between intergreens and therefore significant queues do form at times.

“Buses also find it difficult to accelerate away in time when gap seeking. This could restrict developments options without mitigation to access arrangements.”

In November the Government announced that housebuilding near well-connected railway stations will receive a default “yes” in future if they meet certain rules.

Other sites earmarked for mixed-use development include a 10.10-hectare greenfield site at Wheat Leasowes, for employment land, and land at Southwater Phase II for 13 apartments and shops.

Agriculture House, at Southwater Way, Telford, used as offices, could take 11 units while the former Wilkinson shop – now used by the British Heart Foundation – could provide 15 flats.

The Mere Park greenfield site off the A41 outside Newport has been included in the refreshed local plan as potential employment land. But here too there are issues to overcome.

The Telford and Wrekin Local Plan was first adopted in January 2018 and is currently subject to a five-yearly review.

Local plan hearings will be held across three weeks starting in late February 2026.

They will be open to observers but the right to present evidence is usually restricted to those who have already been involved in the process.

For more information and who to contact visit the local plan pages here: https://www.telfordandwrekinlocalplan.co.uk/info/6/frequently-asked-questions-faqs