Much Wenlock Neighbourhood Plan moves forward

Much Wenlock residents will have more of a say in the future of their town after Shropshire Council’s Cabinet agreed the next stage of forming a neighbourhood development plan.

Cabinet has officially confirmed that the civil parish of Much Wenlock forms an appropriate basis for the development of a neighbourhood development plan, which is an important stage in the legal framework that allows residents to help determine future development in their area.

Steering Group Chairman Mike Grace said:

“The confirmation of formal designation in Much Wenlock is a welcome step on the way to putting the Neighbourhood Plan in place.  Our community volunteers have been working hard in recent weeks to translate the results of the recent Residents Survey and Business Survey to form planning objectives.  We will discuss these objectives with local people and other organisations and start to explore options for how they can be delivered.  This will then be the basis of the creation of a draft plan.”

The nine planning objectives cover matters such as housing and the environment and how conditions could be created to help the local economy.

Mike Grace added:

“We will place booklets in the library, the town clerk’s office and other places such as the churches which will provide more information about the objectives.  We will be organising events and exhibitions in the next few weeks.  The Neighbourhood Plan’s website will provide full details.”

The work being done in Much Wenlock has just been highlighted by the Government as an example for others to follow, and Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for planning, Mal Price, praised the commitment of the volunteers who were making it happen.

He said:

“We welcome this local approach to planning and the progress being made in Much Wenlock, which complements our support for community led plans – what we are calling Planning for Neighbourhoods – elsewhere in Shropshire.  Great progress is being made on such plans by other front runners such as Kinnerley and Oswestry.  What is commendable is the extent to which communities in Shropshire are not only leading the way but learning from each other.”

Milner Whiteman, Shropshire Council member for Much Wenlock, added:

“I am very pleased that Cabinet is supporting the Much Wenlock Neighbourhood Plan.  Members of the Steering Group have worked very hard so far, but there is still a huge amount of work to do before the plan is finalised.”