On Monday 2nd November, 1pm, the Cabinet of Shropshire Council met to discuss various issues (the agenda can be found here (https://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=130&MId=4144&Ver=4).
As part of this agenda, members, such as myself can submit questions to cabinet. Given the local plan has raised particularly controversy around Shifnal, both in the scale of developments but also in the use of the land, I submitted a question with regards to the employment land allocation. The question and full response can be found here (https://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/documents/s25808/Member%20questions%20answers%202%20Nov%202020.pdf) but I have also included the text below:
Question received from Councillor Ed Bird
“I have had many residents contacting me, concerned at planned developments in
Shifnal, both for housing and employment.
Under the new Shropshire Council local plan, could the council provide any
guarantees that any land allocated for employment in Shifnal would be used for that
purpose and not housing. At this stage have there been any employers coming
forward and are the council able to provide those details?”
Response : Cllr Rob Macey, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Strategic
“This new employment area, to be known as the ‘M54 Corridor: Shifnal East’ is being
brought forward for consideration alongside a range of new housing sites in Shifnal.
These housing sites will satisfy the local need for new homes, providing the right mix
of housing, in the right locations in the town. Together with Shifnal East, these
housing sites will deliver a sustainable pattern of development in Shifnal, giving new
and existing residents the opportunities to secure new homes and new jobs in the
town.
The proposed allocation at Shifnal East has attracted interest in the provision of new
business premises. This interest has been expressed by existing companies wishing
to relocate into Shropshire from the sub-regional area around the M54 corridor and
from outside the West Midlands region. This interest was expressed at an early
stage of the Local Plan review process and has been sustained to the present day.
The strategy for Shifnal, lying in the Green Belt, also looks forward beyond the 2038
end date of the Draft Local Plan. This extended forward planning in the Green Belt,
also safeguards additional land around the town, where future housing could be
delivered, in the period to 2058. This focus on meeting the longer-term housing
needs ensures the proposed new employment area will be protected and will deliver
the new jobs needed by local communities in and around Shifnal.
In the period to 2038, the Pre-Submission Local Plan will ensure this protection is
delivered through Policy SP11. This policy will protect strategic and local
employment sites, allocated in the Local Plan, from development for other uses,
such as the provision of new housing.”
I will be following this up, as I do not consider the current plans sustainable, in the interest of Shifnal’s development, its residents or the surrounding Green Belt. Although it seems some interest in the employment land has been obtained, no specific details were given, which is concerning. We have had previous instances in Shifnal where employment land was allocated, was not used and then became housing. I can understand the need and legal requirement for Shropshire to have a housing and employment strategy to meet growth, however I maintain as do many other in the town that what has been planned is disproportionate and has not taken into account the comments from the Town Council, Shifnal Matters and countless residents.
The next cabinet meeting is on Monday 7th December at 1pm. If you have issues you want me to raise with cabinet or questions I could ask on your behalf please contact me at ebirdshropshire@gmail.com
Edward Bird - Councillor for Shifnal South and Cosford 