Council's legal review of care village plans dropped

The plan is for 182 care units and a 75-bed care home off Ellesmere Road, in Hencote

A bid to legally challenge plans for a care village has been abandoned by Shrewsbury Town Council.

Proposals for the 182 care units and a 75-bed care home off Ellesmere Road, at Hencote, were initially rejected by Shropshire Council.

However they were given the go-ahead by the Planning Inspectorate on appeal in January.

The town council had been considering a challenge, but on Wednesday said it "wouldn't be appropriate".

As a unitary authority, Shropshire Council is responsible for planning decisions in the county.

Its northern planning committee rejected the scheme last year on the grounds the site was outside the town's development boundary in open countryside.

However, it later stood down its defence and did not present evidence to the subsequent inquiry, with an inspector eventually overturning the original decision.

Shrewsbury Town Council had also objected to the plans, calling the land "one of the most treasured green spaces" in the town.

Following an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday, a committee asked town councillors to investigate grounds for seeking a legal challenge.

No further action

Alan Mosley, leader of the town council, and chair of the finance and general purposes committee told BBC Shropshire that three legal firms had been consulted for advice on the matter.

At least one advised there were no grounds to pursue a judicial review and on Wednesday, councillors received further advice that a legal challenge of the care village plans would not be viable.

Mr Moseley confirmed no further action would be taken.