Last week, the Planning Inspectors who are undertaking the review of the Draft Local Plan, dropped a potential bombshell in a letter to Shropshire Council. The letter postponed the November & December hearings over concerns the draft plan may be unsound. They also said that Shropshire Council shouldn’t send a reply. Local Plan thrown into doubt with yet more questions about the competence of the Conservative-run Council.
The letter deposited in the Examination Library quoted below is a serious blow to the progress of the Local Plan:
We are writing now because we have significant concerns about the soundness of the Plan in respect of a number of areas. We will set these out in detail in a separate letter as soon as possible. However, as things stand, there are further hearings arranged in weeks commencing 18 and 25 November and 2 December. Given the seriousness of our concerns we consider it would not be appropriate to hold these hearings. We have therefore asked Kerry Trueman, the programme officer, to cancel them and to notify those registered to attend.
We understand how important it is for the Council to be able to move forward to get an up to date local plan in place, and that you will be disappointed with what we are saying here. However, we have only come to this view following a great deal of thought and after hearing all the evidence from both the Council and representors. We will aim to provide our detailed letter as soon as we possibly can.
We are not inviting responses to this letter from the Council or representors.
This news isn’t a suprise to me. At several parish council meetings I have said to members that the plan was in trouble as each stage has unfolded.
From the beginning it has been clear that Conservative-run Shropshire Council’s draft plan, submitted in September 2021, wasn’t sound. Indeed, the LibDem group tried to get a delay in July 2021, but the Conservatives pressed on regardless, despite many valid objections.
I pointed out my concerns at the final public consultation stage and when the Conservatives recklessly pressed ahead on my blog, Facebook and YouTube – see below:
The fact the planning Inspectors have serious concerns that the plan isn’t sound should be alarming for every resident in Shropshire.
- Shropshire Council could be forced to start over, at huge expense to the public purse at a time the council is flat broke and on the verge of bankruptcy.
- If the plan isn’t adopted by 2026 deadline then Shropshire Council won’t have a 5-year land supply, again, unleashing uncontrolled planning free-for-all and development across Shropshire, again.
The elections next May can’t come soon enough. Enough is enough and it is time to show the Conservatives the door.
If you can help my campaign to take Whittington Division from the Conservatives next May please get in touch.
