Shropshire Local Plan Review – Back to the Drawing Board?
On 15th February 2023 Shropshire Council published a letter from the Examination Inspectors which set out their findings following the stage 1 hearing sessions.
Whilst it’s not completely back to the drawing board, no doubt the planning policy team will be feeling disheartened by the results. The Inspectors have indicated that before the LPA can proceed to the second stage of examination, there are a number of matters where more work is necessary to make the plan ‘sound’.
Our key summary points from the letter:
- A request for the LPA to provide much improved clarity on the calculations for housing and employment need and requirement over the plan period – not a five minute job
- A request to provide a paper setting out why the LPA considers it necessary to release Green Belt land
- Further discussion and clarification sought on the position of nutrient neutrality in the River Club catchment
- No justification to remove the RAF Cosford site from Green Belt – thus reducing the employment potential to that site
- Questioning the five year housing land supply
- No provision for specialist / older persons housing in the plan
Hannah Moule, Director at The Rural Planning Co
