Developer defends plan to build on green belt

Dean Trowbridge said Shropshire and Staffordshire needed more homes

A developer has defended plans to build several new housing estates in villages located inside the West Midlands green belt.

Boningale Homes is proposing developments in Shropshire and South Staffordshire, on land currently identified as protected countryside.

The firm's director of development, Dean Trowbridge, said green belt land would need to be released to meet the housing demands of the area.

Residents have accused Boningale Homes of "trashing the countryside" and building estates too large for villages.

Five of the company's seven proposed developments are on greenbelt land, in Albrighton, Shropshire, and Codsall, Bishops Wood and two in Brewood, Staffordshire.

"There is not enough brownfield sites to meet the needs of the area," said Mr Trowbridge.

"Unfortunately, there is going to have to be green belt and green field land released to meet that need."

"We do public consultations to ascertain what people's thoughts are," he said, adding: "If they don't want any development, why don't they want development?"

The West Midlands green belt was designated in 1975 to prevent the expansion of the urban conurbation into the surrounding countryside.

The land has a higher level of protection, and therefore planning permission is more difficult to secure.

Duncan Reeves and Nicky Richardson live in Albrighton

Residents of Albrighton, where 800 homes are proposed on farmland south of the village, formed a community action group earlier this year to fight the proposal.

More than 1,100 objections have been submitted against the planning application on the Shropshire Council planning portal.

"About a third of the adult population of the village have objected, which is a phenomenal achievement," said Duncan Reeves from the Albrighton Village Action Group.

"It just shows the strength of the negative feeling towards this proposed development."

"This is beautiful, farmed, agricultural land," Mr Reeves added, "and this development would erode why people want to live here".

Shropshire Council said the site was outside the current development boundary for Albrighton, and not identified for development in the emerging Local Plan, which identifies suitable land for future developments.

The draft plan suggests Shropshire will need almost 31,000 new homes by 2038, including 1,500 homes to help meet the demand of the Black Country.