Local Plan Review Timelines, Project Gigabit, Vaccinations

Local Plan Review Timelines

The local plan review (Shropshire) timetable approved and updated by SC’s Cabinet on 8^th March 2021 is set out below ( https://shropshire.gov.uk/planning-policy/local-planning/local-plan-review/ ).

As you will be aware, the land at Junction 3 of the M54 near Tong is NOT part of Shropshire Council’s local plan (despite what some councillors in the Black Country may want). 

Regarding Shifnal, myself and the Town Council are strongly opposed to the plans for Shifnal, both in terms of the volume, locations and usage of earmarked land.  Particular areas of concern are Lodge Hill and also the extent of employment land and the ability for any roads to cope with increased traffic. 

Local Plan stage	Current LDS timeframe	Proposed LDS timeframe
Cabinet to consider pre-submission version of Local Plan for six week consultation (regulation 19 stage)	December 2020	December 2020
Consultation on pre-submission Local Plan, subject to Cabinet approval (regulation 19 stage)	December 2020 – early February 2021	December 2020 – late February 2021
Full Council to consider the submission of Local Plan to Secretary of State (regulation 22 stage)	March 2021	July 2021
Submission of Local Plan to Secretary of State, subject to Council approval (regulation 22 stage)	April 2021	July 2021
Independent examination by Planning Inspectorate (regulation 24 stage)	April 2021 – March 2022	July 2021 – May 2022*
Expected inspector’s report	March 2022	May 2022*

Project Gigabit Phase 1 Delivery Plan

Shropshire Council is pleased to hear that Shropshire is included in Phase 1b of the government’s Project Gigabit announcement (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-5bn-project-gigabit) issued Friday 19 March.

Since 2013, Shropshire Council’s Connecting Shropshire broadband programme (http://connectingshropshire.co.uk/) has worked alongside Building Digital UK (BDUK https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-digital-uk) to provide improved broadband connectivity across the Shropshire Council area. Since 2014, coverage of superfast broadband has increased from 24% to 94%.

Previous broadband infrastructure procurements were undertaken by Shropshire Council, but these will now be managed by BDUK. We look forwards to continuing to work with BDUK to provide more gigabit broadband coverage in Shropshire.

The next step towards BDUK commencing a formal procurement requires an Open Market Review (OMR) to identify Telecoms Providers’ current and planned gigabit-capable broadband coverage. BDUK is expected to launch an OMR process during spring. The OMR will be followed by a Public Review to validate the coverage information provided by Telecoms Providers. This is expected later this summer.

Alongside the upcoming procurement, the government has also announced that the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which is currently closed to new applications in Shropshire, will be re-launched in April.

In September 2020, Shropshire Council added up to £1 million of additional funding to ‘top-up’ the national Voucher Scheme. Any underspend from last financial year will be carried forward to the new Scheme and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis when the scheme relaunches. More information about the Voucher Scheme can be found on the Connecting Shropshire website (http://connectingshropshire.co.uk/gigabit-broadband-voucher-scheme/) or by contacting the team on 01743 252203 or connecting.shropshire@shropshire.gov.uk

Shropshire’s cases continue to decline

Thank you Shropshire – let’s keep on doing the right things.

The county’s cases this week continue to go in the right direction. 107 new cases were reported in the 7-day period from 5 March – 11 March, 34% down on the previous week.

50 and over? Book your vaccination

By the time you read this, nearly 250,000 vaccines will have been given across the county.

If you’re aged 50 and over, you can now book your jab against COVID-19 via the National Booking Service online.

The NHS is also sending texts to some people to invite them to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. These may come from a local NHS service, or from ‘NHSvaccine’.

Vaccinations are currently available if:

• You are aged 50 or over
• You are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
• You are an eligible frontline health or social care worker
• You have a condition that puts you at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
• You have a learning disability
• You are an unpaid carer