Back in November, developers submitted plans for 137 houses off Foldgate Lane. Now the Highways Agency has said Shropshire Council can’t make a decision on the plans until the agency is satisfied that the proposed T-junction on the A49 is viable and safe.
This could be a major stumbling block for the developers. Archaeologists have also discovered an undated enclosure on the site.
Turley Associates have said previously that:
The HA have agreed in principle to taking access from the A49.[i]
The [HA] officer with responsibility for this part of the Strategic Road Network has agreed that, providing the relevant standards in [Design Manual for Roads and Bridges]are met, a new access to serve the development on the A49 would be acceptable.[ii]
But clearly the Highways Agency is not happy with the plans for a T-junction and a ‘ghost island’ on this fast major road.
At the end of January the Highways Agency told Shropshire Council: “The applicant has not provided satisfactory information that the operation of the A49 is not adversely affected by the proposals.” It has directed the council not to award planning permission, should it be minded to do so, for three months – the end of April at the earliest. This is delay is to allow David Tucker Associates to undertake further analysis to demonstrate that the proposed T-junction on the A49 is viable and safe.
It is worth noting that the plans for 215 homes off Bromfield Road only got the go ahead from the Highways Agency once plans for slip roads to the A49 were replaced with a full scale roundabout.
Meanwhile, archaeologists have conducted a geophysical survey and discovered an undated enclosure on the railway side of Foldgate Farm. By coincidence this area is to be protected as open space, Foldgate Green, if the plans get the go ahead and the masterplan is unaltered when full planning permission is applied for.[iii]
The housing application has attracted 104 objections, two neutral comments and one message of support (14/04608/OUT).
Enclosure revealed by geophysical survey (Iain Soden Heritage Services)
[i]. Planning Statement. Land at Foldgate Lane Ludlow. Turley Associates.
[ii]. Land at Foldgate Lane, Ludlow. Transport Assessment. David Tucker Associates.
[iii]. The current planning application is for outline permission restricted to the number of houses and the access to the A49. That means that the entire internal arrangement of the site, including access to Foldgate Lane and open space can be altered when full planning permission is applied for.
Thank you Andy for one more of your incredibly useful updates.