Albrighton green belt campaigners say Angela Raynor's intervention in 800 home appeal shows 'significance' of case
An appeal is currently underway into the proposed development in Shropshire, with the Housing Secretary to make the final call
A group of campaigners from Albrighton said the outcome of their fight against a potential development of hundreds of houses on green belt land in the village could set national precedent, following the intervention of Angela Raynor.
A 12-day appeal is currently underway into whether developer Boningale Homes should be allowed to build the estate of 800 homes, a care home and a secondary school, on green belt land off Patshull Road after Shropshire Council rejected the application.
The developer, who declined to comment while the appeal is ongoing, has been arguing the land should instead by considered "grey belt".
Last week, it emerged that the planning inspector overseeing the appeal will not have final say over the matter, with that responsibility instead falling to the Housing Secretary herself.
The Albrighton Development Action Group have been fighting against the plans since 2024 - they said they were "shocked" at Ms Raynor's intervention but, at the end of the day, their mission remains the same.
"I mean, a lot of people are saying we're a test case for this," said Nicky Richardson from the group.
"So, you know, if we if we win, we'll send it'll be sending a message to other to other groups that are trying to stop huge developments being built.
"The thing is, you can't, once you take away that green belt, you can't put it back.
"I think we all need to remember that. We all, even the Secretary of State, needs to remember that.
"Once it's gone, you can't put it back, and we're not talking about just, this isn't just green belt land, this is productive farmland.
"You know, this is, it's got some of the most beautiful wildlife on there. It's where we go to clear our heads."
Ms Richardson admitted she "doesn't understand why" the Housing Secretary has got involved, but that it demonstrates this is a very significant case.
Why is Angela Raynor now the decision maker, and what does it mean?
Shropshire Council said it received a letter confirming the Secretary of State has “recovered” the appeal.
This means the public inquiry will continue, but the inspector will not issue the final decision.
Instead, the inspector will hear the evidence, prepare a report and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will then make the final decision.
The recovery direction states that the appeal has been recovered because it "raises important or novel development control and/or legal issues, and because it involves significant development in the Green Belt".
MP for The Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, criticised the decision, saying it "puts unfair unfair pressure on the planning inspector" and that it "raises alarm bells" about the future of planning inquiries.
"For the Secretary of State to intervene just two days into a 12 day planning inquiry is chillingly egregious," he said.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "This decision was taken in line with published policy and ministers will take into account all material considerations before deciding whether to grant planning permission.
“That includes considering the local plan and all evidence put to the inquiry.”
Ms Richardson said no matter who the decision maker is, the group is not giving up it's fight.
When asked what her message would be to Ms Raynor, she said: "I would ask her to take into consideration the views of the people, what the people are saying.
"We're not saying don't build, we're just saying this is not sustainable. Listen to the evidence that's been given.
"There's a lot of a lot of evidence that is proving that this isn't this isn't sustainable, that this is this is this is this is just developer greed over community and and green belt and and nature and environment."