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From April 2009, Shropshire has been governed by a unitary authority. The unified authority will introduce a single planning regime, based around a county-wide plan, known as the local development framework. Drawing up this framework is a long drawn out process, and CPRE Shropshire has prepared a detailed response at each stage.

February 2010

Shropshire Council has published the Final Plan Publication of the Core Strategy for consultation (closes 20 March 2010). CPRE Shropshire has responded in detail to the document:

• CPRE Shropshire response

August 2009

“Good News for Shropshire’s Countryside. Bad News for Shrewsbury.” CPRE Shropshire gives its initial opinion on the latest draft plans for Shropshire: Core Strategy Policy Directions.

• Press release

March 2009

CPRE Shropshire has responded to the Issues and Options Draft for the Core Strategy. We say that it is a useful start and that we concur with many of its statements. We have however identified three significant weaknesses in its approach:

• The natural and historic environment is given low priority throughout the document.
• The Strategic Approaches to planning ignore the spatial distinctiveness of different areas of Shropshire.
• The assumptions of how many houses are needed are too high..

We call for two studies to address these weaknesses :

• Market towns and Shrewsbury. Each Shropshire town needs a detailed study of its strengths, potential, and cultural and historic assets..
• Rural settlements. A detailed review is needed of the options for sustaining a living, working countryside that is equally comfortable with its roles in employment and leisure.

For further details of our response see:

• CPRE Shropshire response to Issues and Options Draft
• CPRE calls on the new unitary authority to raise its game (press release 31 March)

January 2009. Core Strategy consultation launched

The Implementation Executive for the new unitary Shropshire Council issued its Issues and Options paper for the Core Strategy on 26 January 2009. Every planning authority has a statutory duty to develop a Local Development Framework (LDF) to guide development of houses, employment areas, roads etc. over twenty years. At the heart of the LDF is the Core Strategy. This sets out a vision for the future of the Shropshire, including how much development will be allowed and where it will go. The Issues and Options paper sets out ideas for this Core Strategy, which is due to finalised and adopted by February 2011. The consultation on the Issues and Options ran from 26 January to 9 March.

• Is urban sprawl the only choice for Shropshire? Too many houses are due to be built on green fields in Shropshire over the next twenty years. That's the verdict of CPRE Shropshire after the new Shropshire Council issued its options and choices for the future of the county. More...

September 2008. Topic papers

CPRE Shropshire has made detailed comments on the first stage of the local development framework (county plan) and has called on planners to raise their game.

Further Information

• 31 March. "Campaigners fear council's bland policy" (Shropshire Star)
• 31 March. CPRE calls on the new unitary authority to raise its game
• 17 March 2009. CPRE response to Issues and Options Draft
• 26 January 2009. The Shropshire Council Consultation (http://tinyurl.com/coreplan)
• 30 January 2009. "Housing blight fear in South Shropshire" (South Shropshire Journal)
• 29 January 2009. Shropshire planner Jake Berriman talks to Jim Hawkins on Radio Shropshire about the Core Strategy consultation (MP3)
• 28 January 2009. "Greenfield homes target is too high" (Shropshire Star)
• 27 January 2009. Andy Boddington talks to John Darvall on Radio Shropshire about the Core Strategy consultation (MP3)
• 26 January 2009. Press Release. Is urban sprawl the only choice for Shropshire?
• 26 January 2009. Is urban sprawl the only choice for Shropshire? Our initial reaction to the Issues and Options Statement for the Core Strategy.
• September 2008. Our response to the Topic Papers
• Unitary Planning