Housing association Connexus has agreed to abandon its plans to build a storage and welfare compound on Ludlow’s new town green at the bottom of Sidney Road. Its contractors will begin dismantling the compound and reinstating the ground from Monday 17 October. This move comes after the green space was declared a town green. This protects it from any development including temporary works. The declaration of town green status was made after Connexus applied for the land to be protected under the Commons Act 2006, which modified earlier law. Town green status was granted by Shropshire Council on 27 September at a meeting of the Southern Planning Committee.
Tag: Sidney Road green
They were digging up our new town green – we’ve had the work stopped
Today, contractors for Connexus housing association began to dig a trench across Sidney Road Green. The land now is a town green which means that it cannot be built on, developed or have any work which is incompatible with its status as being a public open space at all times. The refurbishment of Sandpits Avenue must go ahead but a different location needs to be found for the works compound. Tracey Huffer said: “I was very shocked. I was contacted by residents asking what is going on. Once I had finished work for the morning, I rushed to the site. “Contractors were digging a trench for an electricity cable across the green. I thought “that’s not legal”. Shropshire Council officers confirmed that very quickly. Sidney Road Green has been declared a town green and no work can take place on the site, not even storage. Certainly not digging trenches for […]
Town green status for Sidney Road Green gives a conumdrum for Connexus
On Tuesday, the Southern Planning Committee agreed to designate the green space at the bottom of Sidney Road and Charlton Rise as a town green. This is a legal status, sometimes called a village green, which protects open space in perpetuity. Nothing can be built on the space and it must remain open and accessible. The application for town green status was made by the housing association Connexus. The former South Shropshire Housing group had proposed building four bungalows on the green. The planning committee threw proposals out on two occasions but a scheme was approved by a planning inspector on appeal.
Sidney Road Green to be protected from development in perpetuity
A week today, the Southern Planning Committee will meet in Shirehall to discuss controversial applications, including the Greete and Ledwyche solar farms and a housing development at Albrighton. Also up for a decision is a proposal to declare Sidney Road Green a town green. I expect this to be a formality as there is no controversy about the designation. Connexus told Ludlow Town Council it would not to pursue development – the site has planning permission for five bungalows – in October 2019. Two months later, Tracey Huffer and I met with the chief executive of Connexus and proposed that the green should be designated a town green, a status that means it can never be built on without applying to the courts, which are unlikely to give permission. One the space is designated, Connexus intend to transfer the land to Ludlow Town Council for the sum of £1.
Councillors in shock over construction storage in Ludlow
Councillors say they are in shock over the size of the proposed storage depot on Sidney Road Green. Containers and fencing first began appearing on the site on 17 August and a planning application for the work was published yesterday, 24 August. The application shows that the scheme is to be much larger than expected. It will be in place for up to two years, significantly reducing the amenity value of this land. Councillors are calling for an urgent meeting with officers from the housing association Connexus to review the plans which lack clarity over traffic movement and protection of trees on the site. They also want assurances that the proposed generator will not create noise that will disturb residents in the bungalows on Sidney Road.