Yesterday, Shropshire Council published new plans for the proposed housing development on the meadow on Castle View Terrace. The original plans included a bungalow behind two terraces, each of three houses. The bungalow always looked incongruous and it has now been dropped from the scheme. This has allowed Shropshire Homes to allocate accessible public open space behind the terraces.
The new plans are a considerable improvement on the initial scheme. But they will still lead to the unwarranted destruction of a beautiful and much valued area of pasture. Biodiversity will be reduced. The revisions do not make this scheme acceptable.
The removal of the bungalow gives this scheme and its residents more space to breath (20/02971/FUL). Shropshire Homes has also rethought the ‘Shifnal’ terraced houses. The original frontage was uninteresting, even rather bleak. The revised plans add bay windows which are more in keeping with the streetscape of Castle View Terrace.
Public open space has always been part of this scheme. The problem with the initial plans was that the space was inaccessible and on a 45 degree slope. The new plans propose 600 square metres of public open space (0.06ha). Seating will be provided. An information board will describe the view over Ludlow. That’s a nice touch. But the public open space will be at the expense of a biodiverse meadow.
The new brick wall along the Castle View Terrace frontage has also been considerably upgraded in the latest plans. It will now be built of reclaimed brick, presumably from the wall that currently fronts the site. The wall will be capped with half round bricks instead of Haddonstone and bricks on edge.
This scheme is considerably improved. Anywhere else and I would be minded supporting it. But it on Castle View Terrace. It will destroy a much loved meadow. It will trash biodiversity. A rural field in the heart of urban Ludlow will be lost. This site is not allocated for housing in existing local plan or the new local plan due to come into force next year. Ludlow has no shortage of planning permissions for housing. We don’t need any more.
This proposal, although better in design, should be rejected. It is expected the scheme will be discussed by the Southern Planning Committee in December.
There were 168 objections to the original plans. No expressions of support. I am expecting Shropshire Council to announce a 14-day reconsultation on the new plans. It is important to renew objections. This need be no more than saying that the new plans have not changed your opinion of the scheme and it should be rejected. You do not need to wait until the reconsultation starts to make an additional comment.
If you haven’t commented on this scheme before, your views will be welcome (20/02971/FUL).
