“Misleading” Shropshire housing claims have been refuted

Charles Green from the Shropshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), accused the unitary authority of going against the wishes of residents and local councils.

He said that there is not the support claimed by the council for 28,750 new houses to be built in the county over the next 20 years.

Instead he claimed the support is for 26,250 or fewer.

But Adrian Cooper, Shropshire Council’s planning policy and strategy manager, has responded saying the council has to take into consideration other responses.

He continued: “Shropshire Council, as a responsible and democratically representative organisation, must take into account the wider needs of the entire population and other stakeholders, including those who are not as engaged as those who have already contributed views.”

Commenting on the CPRE’s claim that most of the support is from agents on behalf of landowners and developers – and that some sent in a number of identical responses – Mr Cooper added: “It is important to recognise that there are a limited number of planning agents in Shropshire and they therefore usually have multiple clients on whose behalf they are responding.

“It is these clients who are the respondents, rather than the agent submitting the response on their behalf.”

The comments from the CPRE come after Shropshire Council consulted on a review of its Local Plan in 2017 considering future housing growth up to 2036 with a view to publishing a plan in 2019.

Mr Green said: “Shropshire Council should take proper note of the views of its electorate and opt for the lower housing targets, rather than the currently high figure which is only supported by those in the development sector.

“CPRE Shropshire has already made great strides in calling to account the actions of the council and we’d urge anyone who feels passionately about protecting this special county to get in touch, and to keep pressing the council not to ignore its electorate.”