Shropshire Council Cabinet met yesterday and one of the items on their agenda was the approval for publication of a report called the Site Allocations and Management of Development (SAMDev) Plan. According to the minutes of the meeting it was recommended that
"A. That Cabinet approves the draft documents and approach for publication and extensive public consultation subject to minor amendments and editing.
B. That authority is delegated to the Corporate Head of Strategic Planning in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth and Prosperity to approve the final version of the draft documents prior to publication for public consultation."
The Cabinet decided "As per the recommendations above on the proviso that it is made clear that Cabinet has approved the draft documents but also delegated authority to the Corporate Head of Strategic Planning in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth and Prosperity to approve minor amendments and editing of these draft documents, prior to the final version being put out for the 3 months public consultation on 9th March 2012."
The Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth and Prosperity is Malcolm Price who also happens to be our locally-elected councillor. The Corporate Head of Strategic Planning is Mike Hyatt.
You can read the draft SAMDev documents on the Shropshire Council website.
Sadly, but not surprisingly, the site off Shillingston Drive and directly adjacent to Lion Coppice has been included on the list of "preferred" sites. It is listed as "Land off Shillingston Drive (Site SHREW105 – Area: 10 ha): Development subject to creation of ecopark on eastern side and buffer to Lion Coppice." and is listed for 250 houses.
It remains to be seen how the planning department will justify listing the site as a "preferred" rather than a "reserve" site when the ecological issues raised by its proximity to Lion Coppice should make it a borderline site at best.
There now begins a three month consultation period during which we will need to lodge our objections to the allocation of the site. The battle of Battlefield continues.
