The county and regional MEP, Lib Dem Tourism Spokesman in European Parliament, recently attended and spoke at a packed public meeting called by Church Stretton Civic Society to galvanise opposition to the County Council’s revised ‘SAMDev’ consultation on sites for future housebuilding in the town, which lies in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Proposals have been made to develop a large site at New House Farm on the lower slopes of Caer Caradoc on the east side of the A49, against the wishes of the Town Council, the Civic Society and many residents in the previous round of consultation.
Planning officials did not attend but sent a written statement, which maintained that the proposals for the site were of limited landscape value.
Summing up after two hours of debate, which included heckling of local county councillors, the Civic Society Chairman Charles Simmonds said: “This proposal does not meet the needs of the town. If it goes ahead, it will only be a matter of time before there are hundreds of houses on this hillside.”
Town Councillors including the Mayor Cllr Michael Braid and local Lib Dem Cllr Bob Welch stressed that they supported affordable new homes in suitable locations and that alternative sites were available. The Mayor claimed that the County Council’s document ‘seriously misrepresented’ the views of residents and the Town Council in the previous consultation.
Phil Bennion MEP urged residents who were opposed to write to the Council with a formal objection.
“As a former member of a County Council planning committee, I have experience of the way decisions like this are taken. It is vital that objections are made on the basis of visual impact, access and safety and sustainability.”
“Nevertheless I have to say that Church Stretton is a beautiful town with great potential as a tourism destination, which is an increasingly important source of employment and income. We have a fabulous legacy of beautiful landscape and globally important heritage sites in Shropshire and across the region.
“It would be a tragedy if this was ignored in the process of allocating future housing sites, which must be carried out with the greatest possible community engagement.
“From viewing the site earlier, it seems clear to me that this proposal would have a significant impact on the amenity value of one of the most important landscapes in the Shropshire Hills AONB, which is of more than purely local importance. I will be objecting along these lines.”
The deadline for objections to the SAMDev consultation is 5pm on August 23rd 2013.
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