Plans are being drawn up for a property development of up to 500 homes, associated infrastructure and public open space in Much Wenlock.
Sheffield-based consultants, Marrons, asked Shropshire Council if it needed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on plans to develop land east of Bridgnorth Road.
It was ruled unnecessary by the authority as, “the site is not located within a sensitive area… and unlikely to have a significant effect upon the surrounding environment”.
Resident Mike Grace said: “It’s clearly someone speculating on a massive housing scheme, which will increase the size of the town by 30 or more percent.”
“It’s a scale no one has thought about for an historic market town”, said Mr Grace, who chaired the neighbourhood plan group in 2013/14.
“The area they are looking at is very flood prone… and the amount of traffic generated will have major implications, alongside other sites like Tasley and the Ironbridge Power Station, for Much Wenlock which is at the junction of a number of roads.”
The former town councillor is also concerned that Shropshire Council does not have a local [housing] plan after it was withdrawn last month.
A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said the previous local plan would be the starting point for making decisions on planning applications, adding that, without an up-to-date plan, the National Planning Policy Framework would be a key factor for consideration.
“As a result of the significant increase in housing need in Shropshire resulting from the government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December 2024, the council cannot currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.
“As such, the council will need to apply the NPPF’s ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’ to the assessment of new planning applications for housing development.”
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