3,400-home development north of Telford moves a step closer
The proposed community would include schools, shops, employment space and sports facilities across 675 acres of farmland.
Developers have lodged more details of a huge crop growing site that has been earmarked for 3,400 houses to the north of Telford.
The 273.1 hectares (675 acres) of land near Eyton, Wappenshall and Wheat Leasows is currently dominated by arable farmland used to grow cereal and non-cereal crops.
Some 118 hectares (292 acres) of the land which stretches from Shawbirth in the west to Horton in the east is given the second highest farmland rating, while nearly 100 hectares is rated good, and 43.6 hectares moderate.
The farmland is separated by hedgerows and trees, as well as watercourses and drainage ditches.
It has long been in the draft Telford & Wrekin Local Plan which is set to be formally adopted later this year after being assessed by planning inspectors. Two other areas north of Telford have been earmarked to bring new developments across the three sites to around 8,000 more homes.
Cheshire based White Peak Planning has asked Telford & Wrekin Council to tell it what information it needs for a full environmental impact assessment.
The impact is expected to be of such a scale that the question is not whether an assessment is needed but what should be in what can be left out.
The agent is working on behalf of Bellway Homes, Hallam Land, Homes England, David Udale Ltd, and Sydney Farms Ltd, in submitting details of the Wappenshall Sustainable Community.
It would involve the construction of up to 3,400 dwellings, land for two primary schools, and land for an eight form secondary school. Around 2,100 of them would be built by 2041 and would be counted in the current local plan.
There would also be two neighbourhood centres, employment land, open space, including children’s play areas sports pitches.
In a 150 page report the agent has told planners that the site is currently subjected to intensive management and is dominated by arable land including cereal crops, temporary grass and clover leys and non-cereal crops.
“The site is mostly in arable farming use, and mostly used for growing combinable crops. There are a number of fields of grassland near Wappenshall Farm, with some livestock grazing.”
Eco experts have already looked at the site and found it to be suitable habitat for “protected and notable species.”
These include badger, bats, birds, great crested newt, reptiles, otter and water vole which will be at risk of death from traffic, affected by light pollution and increases in predation.
The developers are expecting to have to submit reports looking at the impact of such a development on biodiversity, landscape, heritage, transport, noise, air quality, flood risk, climate change, social economics, human health, agricultural land and health.
They will also have to propose mitigation measures with the aim of avoiding, reducing, or compensating for potential adverse effects and improving potential beneficial effects.
The assessment is expected to be followed by an outline planning application.
Three local councillors have already responded to a technical consultation as planners launch an assessment. An official consultation period is scheduled to end on August 25, 2026 but there is no official deadline for the assessment to be completed.
Councillor Karen Blundell (Lib Dem, Apley Castle) wrote: “The infrastructure is not in a position to deal with this on the current roads around the potential development, especially as Hortonwood is always difficult at peak travel times.”
Two Hadley and Leegomery parish councillors have added their comments.
Councillor Stuart Parr (Conservative, Hadley Manor Ward) says the site is a peat bog, suffering extensive flooding in winter.
“Excavating the peat bog will release large amounts of CO2 back into the atmosphere at the same time that Telford & Wrekin Council has declared a climate emergency,” he writes.
Councillor Jordan Keeble (Labour, Apley Castle Ward) wrote that his main worries are surrounding the impact on road infrastructure, and school placements.
“Protection of the wildlife and biodiversity also need to be at the forefront of this proposal, it’s encouraging to see areas of the development set aside for wildlife and bio-diversity, these areas should remain in the plans and the wildlife should be protected during operations if this development is built.”