Maggie 65 Report post Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) Proposed plans to put houses on Spekes Field led to extremely lively debate at Weston Rhyn Parish Council last night. ( I wasn't well enough to attend, but this is the report from Cllr Bright. ) Gavin Porritt from Design and Planning Associates in Oswestry described plans to be submitted for 7 new houses across the front half of Spekes Field in Chirk Bank. These are 4 and 5 bedroom houses with one affordable home. Obviously Cllr Bright is hopping mad, and there will be a residents group meeting next week in Chirk bank to discuss this- I will post the time and date when she has fixed it. ******** It is important to remember that since 'Localism' it is now down to the Parish Councils to designate areas in the villages for possible development, and to say what sort of development. To these ends there will be a village toolkit event on Wednesday 4th July, to examine what is important to residents, and the area's strengths and weaknesses. The Site Allocations and Management of Development (SamDev) Preferred options Plan from the Shropshire Council needs this input for a coherent strategy for the county. This is the link to the relevant page where the big report will explain all the details if you are interested. http://www.shropshir...0257922004CC8EE In the mean time the Parish Council last month decided that Weston Rhyn Parish, in their opinion, could be declared a 'Community Cluster' which means that some development can take place. Following the Toolkit event we should have a better idea about what is needed and then start to look at possible places that could be developed. I will update this when I know more Edited April 17, 2012 by Maggie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neo 6 Report post Posted April 17, 2012 In risk of lighting the blue touch paper, what is wrong with building on 'Spekes Field'? *dives for cover* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maggie 65 Report post Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) Previously(18 months ago ish) there were plans to develop affordable homes and a few self build on the Field, This split the community between those who didn't want anything in the village and those who thought that there was a need for affordable homes. The council did a consultation and concluded then that there was no great demand in Chirk Bank (largely because of the lack of any amenities or infrastructure). This time apparently (I haven't myself seen the plans yet but Cllr Bright is bringing them to the Big Local meeting tonight in St Martins) it is all about large houses. So question is, do we want suburbia or do we want badgers and newts and a field; and what costs, and what gains for the community from this. Certainly the sorts of people who would want a large detatched would not be restricted by lack of local amenities. I don't know and have no opinion until I have seen the plans and thought about it! and I am diving for cover too because I am not inherently against development, IN THE RIGHT PLACE. ( I would have loved a self build eco home on this plot,) Edited April 17, 2012 by Maggie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted April 29, 2012 No firm opinion one way or the other - newts can live happily in garden ponds too - I have over 40 (common newts, not protected) in my small pond and have had them there for over 20 years. They seem to like their home and don't wander off. There are two or three ponds cordonned off at the Eastern Oswestry housing estate which seem to work and which have a diversity of wildlife in residence. The expression comes to mind of "better the devil you know..." What if the field was sold and a more aggressive developer got hold of it and proposed something the community definitely didn't like? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
