DISTRICT GROUPS
The Shropshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England is represented locally by several district groups. Although we do not have active committees or groups in every part of Shropshire, CPRE Shropshire will respond to planning applications of concern anywhere in the county.
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The active districts are as follows (click on them for more information)
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OSWESTRY DISTRICT
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The Oswestry District of CPRE Shropshire covers the old Oswestry Borough Council area. Although this is the smallest of the five pre-unitary Districts by geographical area, it contains Oswestry which is the second largest town, by some margin, in the Shropshire Council area.
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The District has a very small number of active campaigners and more would always be welcome. There is a committee which meets intermittently to arrange talks and garden evenings.
We held our latest AGM and Garden Evening on Sunday 1st September 2019
Notable campaigns have included:
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Obtaining compensation via the Local Government Ombudsman for development that the Local Authority had improperly allowed
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Winning one of CPRE’s national Marsh Awards for our role in the Oswestry Superstores war. Ironically, the winner of that “war” was the Smithfield site which now hosts Morrisons, though there is as yet little to show of benefit to the town from the millions that Oswestry Town Council received from the transaction.
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Failing to prevent the demolition by Aldi of the Telford tollhouse on Salop Road, despite taking the Council to the Local Government Ombudsman.
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Being at the heart of the Anglo/Welsh team opposing the combined windfarm and pylon plans for mid Wales and north Shropshire. On-shore wind power en masse has the unfortunate consequence that in order to try to save the planet one has to destroy the landscape. See the windfarms page for the latest on this one.
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We also support other local groups including the Oswestry Old Hillfort campaign and Trefonen Rural Protection Group.
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Contact: Charles Green (Chair) - charleswgreen@msn.com
TELFORD & WREKIN DISTRICT
Telford & Wrekin district now has its own section on the website, here:
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Contact: Connor Furnival (Chair) - cpretelfordwrekin@gmail.com
SHREWSBURY DISTRICT
The Shrewsbury Branch of CPRE Shropshire met quarterly before Covid-19 in the meeting room of Bear Steps (with kind permission of the Civic Society). At present, there are twelve members.
Planning applications continue to be the focus of the district, including:
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Poultry Farms: see elsewhere on this website
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Shropshire Council’s resolution to declare a climate emergency is welcomed by the Shrewsbury District committee although there is as yet no time commitment to achieve carbon neutrality. A Climate Change - SC Portfolio Holder and an Officer have been appointed.
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The committee continues to challenge the use of good quality agricultural land for housing.
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Contact in being maintained with Shropshire MPs as Kit Malthouse – Minister of Housing - in particular has stated “we need to ensure local people are in charge of where housing goes” and “local people need to be an integral part of the process of producing new homes” and “it sounds surprising to me that the West Midlands which is such a large area might be short of employment land” and “I will work closely with my Shropshire county colleagues to make that happen sensitively in their constituencies”. The Committee pledges to continue to fight for Shropshire residents to have a say in where new housing is developed.
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The District supports and meets with Shropshire Friends of the Earth. In particular, we discuss the merits of improving the existing A5 from Shrewsbury to Oswestry by making it a continuous dual carriageway rather than building the NWRR. We liaise with BeST who oppose the NWRR.
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The District objects to the “Preston Boats” new railway station proposed by Peter Nutting and will be keeping a watching brief.
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The District is also asking for all hoardings on major “A” roads to be removed, as they can constitute a danger to drivers who read them as they pass by.
We liaise with Shrewsbury Civic Society about developments within Shrewsbury and the latest position on permitted development proposals for town centres.
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Contact: Susan Lockwood (Acting secretary): 01743 791082 & 07854 110271 - susanlockwood345@btinternet.com
Shrewsbury's St Chads from the Dingle on a winter's afternoon
(c) Sarah Jameson
BRIDGNORTH DISTRICT
The Bridgnorth District is the longest standing District Group, keeping an active eye on planning applications and liaising with other local campaign groups, some of which are extraordinarily tenacious.
Contact: Stella & David Voysey via admin@cpreshropshire.org.uk