Mixed-use garden village at Proposed Residential And Commercial Development Land, Bridgnorth

What was proposed

The outline scheme proposed up to 1,500 homes, employment land, a local centre, primary school, country park, sports facilities and supporting infrastructure.

“Proposal: Outline application, with all matters reserved except for principal means of access, for development comprising up to 1,500 residential dwellings (Use Class C3) including specialist housing for older people (Use Class C2 or C3), up to 14.6ha of employment land of Use Class E, B2 and B8a uses, a mixed-use local centre of up to 1,500sq.m of Use Class E and F.2 uses, a primary school (Use Class F.1), country park and other open space including sports pitches and…”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The 112.3-hectare site was open countryside and agricultural land beside Bridgnorth, with waterways, flood zones, footpaths, farms, listed buildings and nearby quarries.

“The proposed Site comprises 112.3 hectares of open countryside/agricultural land which is located in eastern Shropshire and abuts the south western edge of Bridgnorth. The land is a generally level patchwork of fields with a gentle gradient down from the north-eastern corner to the west/south-west where the Site boundary is formed by the Tiddle Brook. A tributary of the brook additionally bisects the Site north/south providing drainage for the agricultural land.”

“The Site is surrounded by open countryside to the east and south. There are three adjacent farmsteads at The Leasowes/Leasowes Farm abutting the northern boundary, Roundthorn Farm in the east and Hundred House Farm to the south. Both the Leasowes and Leasowes Farm are Grade II Listed Buildings. There are SSSIs located at Devil's Hole, Morville ~1.35km to the west and Thatcher's Wood and Westwood Covert ~1.5km to the south.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A football club representative and the applicants spoke in support, while a resident, parish and town council representatives, and three ward councillors spoke against.

Members’ concerns

Members were concerned about football-pitch parking, match-day congestion and facilities near the livestock market being affected by noise and odour.

“Councillors expressed concerns regarding the siting of the football pitch as they felt there was insufficient parking which would lead to congestion and inconsiderate parking on match days and facilities adjacent to the proposed livestock market which they felt would suffer from noise and odour pollution. They requested that any reserved matters application be brought back to Committee for determination.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee granted outline permission with delegated conditions and developer contributions, subject to reserved matters applications returning for committee determination.

“That outline planning permission be GRANTED with delegated powers to officers to: finalise the conditions based on those set out in Appendix 1, and securing of developer contributions as set out in paragraph 6.4.2 including the completion of a S106 agreement, subject to any reserved matters application being brought back to the Committee for determination.”

Minutes