Feature

Telford & Wrekin Council is tightening the rules on houses in multiple occupation with new planning regulations that will come into force next year across the borough requiring planning permission for all HMOs, regardless of size.

The former AGA site at Wellington Road was the subject of a controversy in 2024 when the Government warned that the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site could be placed at risk, and might ultimately be delisted if plans went ahead.

Named ‘Bratton Green’ by developer Bloor Homes, the site covers 88.5 hectares of farm land between the A442 and the B5063 north of the Bratton and Shawbirch area.

The council has presented developing 8,000 homes in three new communities to the north of Telford as a part of its strategy to find space for 20,000 new homes up to 2041.

Read the full report on the opening day of the local plan hearings.

A rare chance has come up to buy a group of cottages built for 18th-century ironworkers. These historic homes are located in a famous part of the Gorge and are currently run as a successful business.

Officials at Hollinswood and Randlay Parish Council say it is “at least” the fourth time this year that the Pavilion Field has been targeted by quad and dirt bike riders doing deliberate ‘doughnuts’.

Telford and Wrekin Council’s ‘My Options’ service has been hailed by Ofsted for helping young people “thrive, not just survive.”

While residents have praised the “incredible” staff, inspectors have set a deadline for the council to tighten up vital safety checks.

Across three weeks of all-day hearings government planning inspectors Mike Worden and Catherine Carpenter will be listening to representations from Telford & Wrekin Council, local councillors, campaigners, and developers.

The event brought together families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), alongside local partners and support services, providing an opportunity for open discussion, shared experiences and direct engagement with their local MP.

Over the next five years council officials estimate that about £15.4 million will need to be spent on looking after the borough’s schools.

Is your local school in the list?

Crews are out in force this week to tackle litter along one of Telford’s busiest main roads. Motorists are being warned to expect delays and are being reminded of the hefty fines facing those caught throwing rubbish from their cars.

Council tax bills in Telford and Wrekin are set to rise by an average of 5.13 per cent when the next demands are sent out, a report shows.

Telford & Wrekin Council is looking to put its element of the tax up by the maximum allowed – 4.99 per cent – and put every penny into caring for vulnerable adults and children.

A new footbridge and two passenger lifts are set to bring ‘step free’ access to Wellington Railway Station.

Planners have been told that Network Rail has investigated replacing the current stepped footbridge but it is “not feasible” to add lifts within the existing Victorian station.

Major porcelain collections once displayed at a local museum have fetched thousands at a Shropshire auction house. International bidders from as far as the Far East went head-to-head for the historic pieces, alongside a surprise find dug up in a Shrewsbury garden.

Officials were told that the plan is in line with the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources as the council aims to be carbon neutral.

A local resident has been hit with a significant fine after a large pile of rubbish was dumped in Lawley. Evidence found at the scene and CCTV footage from a nearby school helped enforcement officers track down the source following a private event.

Here are the Crown Players dressed up and ready to go as Goldilocks and the Three Bears takes to the stage this week…

Rodney Pitt had served as a town councillor for a number of years but resigned on February 9.

Could you stand for election in Newport?

Telford & Wrekin Council’s Budget for 2026-27 will commit £150 million to looking after people most in need, equivalent to 70p in every £1 the Council spends used to support vulnerable children, people with disabilities and older adults living in the Borough.

After being described as a ‘nightmare’ and a ‘joke’ by Cllr White, new parking options and a transport link between the Princess Royal Hospital and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital were revealed at a meeting today.

The All Nations Inn has brewed a very special batch of their seasonal pale ale, Eliza Lewis, as part of the global International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day (IWCBD) project. and the beer will be officially launched at the pub at 3pm on Wednesday 18th February.

Telford could soon be reconnected to London by rail as a new bid for direct services gains high-level government backing. After a previous rejection, the latest plans for the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway now include a key local stop—find out which station has been added to the route and what the Transport Secretary said in Parliament.

Surgeons at the Princess Royal Hospital have hit a new milestone in cutting down waiting lists. Using a high-speed approach to routine operations, the team managed to treat dozens of patients in a single day—see how they are getting people through the doors faster than before.

With the Winter Olympics currently capturing public attention, Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is inviting local people aged 50 and over to try their hand at curling – without venturing to icy climates!

Telford & Wrekin Council paid its 14 most senior officials a total of more than £1.6 million in the last financial year, documents show.