Screening Application 25/02821/SCR - Proposed development land south of A53 Battlefield

You may have seen, and subsequently been concerned by, an inaccurate and misleading article which recently appeared in the Shropshire Star: The contents of the article follow:

"Developer makes early appoach for up to 600 new homes near busy Shrewsbury roundabout

Developers have made a first approach to build up to 600 new homes near a busy Shrewsbury roundabout. Shropshire Council has validated an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a residential-led development on land south of the A53 Battlefield Roundabout. The application was received on Wednesday, July 30, from applicant Alex Munro and validated by planners the next day according to the council's planning portal. Public consultantation has not yet opened but the applicant has not specifically requested an EIA.

The Government website says the aim of an EIA is to protect the environment by ensuring that a local planning authority, when deciding whether to grant planning permission which is likely to have significant effects on the environment, does so in the full knowledge of the likely significant effects, and takes this into account in the decision-making process. The Government says the aim of an EIA is also to ensure that the public are given early and effective opportunities to participate in the decision-making procedures."

Shropshire Council has NOT validated an Environmental Impact Assessment. The suffix of this application is /SCR which means it is simply a screening request. The developer is asking Shropshire Council if an EIA is required. A decision has not yet been made on this but it is extremely likely that the Planning Officer will decide that an EIA must be carried out. Confirming that an EIA is necessary in no way indicates that any potential future planning application would be approved. Depending on the findings of the EIA, the developer may decide to proceed to the next stage which is usually an outline planning application. This is the point when the public and other statutory consultees can provide input.

Although the site off Battlefield Roundabout falls within the boundary of Shrewsbury Town Council, should a planning application ever be submitted, then Astley Parish Council would consider it in detail and respond accordingly depending on the views of its parishioners.

The screening application can be viewed on Shropshire Council's Planning Portal here