Proposal:
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CONSULTATION EXPIRY DATE:
PLANNING REFERENCE - 26/00439/REM
DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED - Approval of reserved matters (appearance) pursuant of 23/00065/OUT for the erection of 3No dwellings to include access, layout and scale
LOCATION: - Land Rear Of Beech Croft, Vicarage Lane, Highley, Shropshire,
HPC Planning Objection 26/00439/REM
Highley Parish Council wish to object to this application on the following grounds:
1. Highway Safety – Access, Egress and Pedestrian Risk
HPC have major concerns regarding the proposed site access and exit, which is directly opposite Vicarage Lane. This creates a dangerous situation for both pedestrians and drivers. Vicarage Lane already has several vehicles parked along this stretch of road, significantly restricting visibility and increasing the likelihood of an accident.
The application fails to demonstrate that safe access and egress can be achieved, nor does it provide the required visibility splays, swept‑path analysis, or details of gradients and retaining structures. These omissions mean the Local Planning Authority cannot properly assess the impact on highway safety.
2. Heavy Goods Vehicle Movements
A condition on a previous application required the land level to be reduced prior to any construction. This would necessitate the movement of heavy goods vehicles to and from the site, further exacerbating the already unsafe access arrangements and increasing risk to road users.
3. Failure to Address Highways Requirements from Pre‑Application Advice
The Pre‑Application advice for 23/00065/OUT clearly stated that any future application must include:
• Full details of access, parking and turning
• Visibility splays
• Construction details of the private road
• Safe pedestrian access linking to the B4555
• Swept‑path analysis for emergency and large vehicles
The current Reserved Matters submission does not address these requirements, nor does it provide the information needed to demonstrate that the development can operate safely.
4. Repeated Attempts to Develop a Site with a History of Refusal
This site has been the subject of multiple applications, all previously refused. It is notable that this application seeks to rely on 23/00065/OUT and the discharge of conditions from April 2024, rather than addressing the most recent refusal 25/03777/FUL (December 2025), which raised significant concerns.
5. Relevance of Refusal 25/03777/FUL
The most recent refusal identified:
• Overdevelopment of the site, with unacceptable impacts on amenity and privacy
• Development that would be incongruous, overly prominent, and harmful to the semi‑rural character of the area
• Failure to comply with Core Strategy policies CS3, CS6, CS11, CS17, SAMDev MD2 and MD3, and the NPPF (2024)
• Insufficient information to assess highway safety, including visibility, gradients, retaining structures, pedestrian routes, and simultaneous access/egress
None of these issues have been resolved in the current application.
6. Insufficient Information Submitted
Our recommendation is that this application should be refused on the grounds that insufficient information has been provided to assess the impact on highway safety, specifically:
• Visibility splays
• Access and egress arrangements
• Pedestrian safety
• Gradients and retaining structures
• Large vehicle access
• Swept‑path analysis
Without this information, the proposal cannot be considered compliant with Shropshire’s adopted policies or the NPPF.
Conclusion
Given the unresolved highways concerns, the unsafe access opposite Vicarage Lane, the history of refusals, and the failure to address the issues raised in both the Pre‑App advice and refusal 25/03777/FUL, Highley Parish Council strongly recommend that this application is refused.
