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The Local Plan, which has been prepared for consideration by a government-appointed Inspector, will also ensure older residents can downsize into suitable accommodation and families will have access to properties that meet their needs.

The Local Plan will shape the borough’s future by securing investment in infrastructure, creating jobs, and delivering quality homes, all while protecting Telford and Wrekin’s green spaces and heritage.

Telford & Wrekin Council has completed a thorough review of all comments received during the public consultation on the draft Local Plan, which concluded in January 2024. These comments have helped shape the revised Local Plan, which will be presented to the council’s cabinet members for review on 13 February 2025.

The plan reflects significant updates based on consultation feedback and responds directly to the priorities of Telford and Wrekin residents. It maximises opportunities to regenerate brownfield land, reduces the number of proposed development sites compared to the draft plan stage, and ensures infrastructure is in place to support growth.

Residents raised concerns about access to local schools and GP services, as well as congestion on the highway network. In response, the Local Plan includes new schools to ensure infrastructure is built up to meet demand in the same way as the council has recently invested in developments such as its Lawley Academy extension. Other infrastructure improvements also include the expanded GP provision in Shawbirch.

Maintaining an up-to-date Local Plan ensures the Council can work effectively with partners such as the NHS, education providers, and transport authorities to plan for the future and avoid unplanned, speculative developments that do not benefit local communities.

Policies have been introduced to accelerate the delivery of stalled development sites, tackling derelict and vacant buildings that can blight local communities and high streets. The plan also protects Telford and Wrekin’s green network, which spans over 2,500 hectares, and protects 23 local nature reserves and more than 300 Green Guarantee sites from future development. The borough was recently named one of the top 20 greenest places in the UK, and the council is committed to preserving and enhancing these spaces for residents to enjoy, and creating new accessible green spaces.

The Local Plan also outlines a commitment to tackling climate change, supporting energy-efficient buildings that will help lower household and business running costs, and promoting sustainable transport options.

In summary, the Telford and Wrekin Local Plan will:

• Protect our greenspaces
• Care for our existing communities
• Invest in the future

It will do this and benefit our residents by:

• Providing more quality homes that local people in Telford and Wrekin can afford
• Providing new homes to meet the needs of our community, including homes for our young people, families, and older people
• Providing more energy-efficient buildings, helping to lower the cost of running homes and businesses
• Retaining Telford and Wrekin’s proud identity as one of the greenest places in the country by protecting our heritage and enhancing our most important green spaces for people and wildlife
• Investing in our established communities by revitalising borough towns and tackling derelict and vacant sites that blight local people’s daily lives
• Securing around 17,000 new jobs through new land for existing businesses to grow and new businesses to invest in Telford and Wrekin
• Securing new and improved infrastructure for the future, including six new schools, expanded GP surgeries, and improving transport networks
• Tackling climate change by introducing policies to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability

Councillor Carolyn Healy, Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability, said:

“We’ve listened to local people, and we’ve worked hard to ensure the revised Local Plan reflects the feedback received from our communities. This plan protects greenspaces, cares for and supports our existing communities, and invests in homes and infrastructure for everyone in the borough.

“It will provide quality homes for all our residents, meaning young people growing up here in Telford can aspire to own their own home locally, families can move into properties that meet their needs, and our older residents can downsize within their communities. The Local Plan is the foundation for building communities for generations to come.”

If approved at the Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet meeting, the Local Plan will be reviewed at Full Council on 27 February 2025 before moving into the Regulation 19 public consultation on Monday 17 March 2025. During this stage, residents and stakeholders will have a further opportunity to provide comments on the soundness of the plan before it is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination.

For more information on the Telford and Wrekin Local Plan, visit: www.telfordandwrekinlocalplan.co.uk