Parents raise concerns over plans for 102 homes

Adam Shantry said the junction on to the A458 was already very busy

Parents have raised concerns about plans to build 102 homes opposite a village primary school in Shropshire.

The residents in Ford are worried about the increase in traffic the new homes would bring.

They said a road that would provide access to the new estate, Butt Lane, is already overcrowded at busy times of the day.

The developer behind the proposals, Shropshire Homes, said it had carried out its own surveys and believed Butt Lane and the nearby A458 would be able to operate "within capacity".

The company confirmed in its application that access to the new housing estate would be from Butt Lane, but said there would be no increased risk of accidents.

Adam Shantry, a parent of a children at Trinity C of E Primary School, said the current volume of traffic on the lane was "problematic enough".

He said vehicles, including school minibuses. struggled to exit on to the A458 and could be seen queuing at busy times.

Mr Shantry was at a public meeting in the village last month, where residents raised concerns with the council and said there were "desperate pleas from parents and residents to alter these proposals".

He also said the increase in the size of the village would bring "dramatic increases in traffic and air pollution, all funnelled on to the road used by children walking to school.

Roger Evans, the Shropshire councillor who represents the area said: "The proposed development would make an already congested junction absolutely treacherous.

"It would be nigh on impossible for pedestrians, including many young children, to cross safely, and must not be allowed to proceed."

But in its application, Shropshire Homes said its plans were in line with the National Planning Policy Framework and "the additional traffic generated by the proposals will not result in a severe impact on the local road network".

It suggested there could be "no highways or transport grounds for objecting to the planning application".

Consultation on the proposals is due to end on 16 December and a date has not yet been set for them to be considered by a planning committee.