Helen slams Shropshire Council over Local Plan fiasco
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has criticised Shropshire Council for its failure to deliver a Local Plan, warning that the delays are leaving communities vulnerable to speculative development and undermining efforts to provide the homes and infrastructure local people need.
The long-awaited plan has been beset by delays and uncertainty, and has now been declared unsound. This creates a policy vacuum that threatens Shropshire with a ‘free-for-all’ on development.
In her criticism of the fiasco, Helen has revealed that she reached out to Shropshire Council’s Conservative leadership to work cross-party to help resolve the situation but her offer was not taken up ahead of the Inspector’s throwing out the plan.
The lack of willingness to work together has compounded frustrations at a time when leadership was needed to break the deadlock move the Local Plan forward.
Without an approved Local Plan, communities across Shropshire are being left in limbo, with decisions on housing and infrastructure being taken in a piecemeal fashion rather than as part of a well-thought-out strategy.
The risk of unplanned and inappropriate development looms large, while much-needed improvements to roads, schools and healthcare services are left in doubt.
Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, said, “The people of Shropshire deserve better than this shambles. After years of delays and indecision, the council has failed to get a grip on the Local Plan, leaving communities at the mercy of speculative developers.
“What makes matters worse is the lack of willingness on the part of the Conservative leadership to work together on this critical issue. I offered to work cross-party in the interests of our residents, but this was put off until after the Inspector’s response – far too late in the day.
“This should never be about party politics – it’s about doing what’s right for Shropshire. The mess we are now in will take a lot of cleaning up from whoever forms the next administration.”