Longden Neighbourhood Plan

Update and Call for Sites

Our initial survey was well received and further detail work showed that the residents’ concerns over potential large building development sites around Longden needed further examination. A Housing Needs Assessment was commissioned and identified a need for smaller housing at affordable prices for both sale and rent.

Limits on the size of developments to meet the housing requirement around Longden Village were preferred and needed policies to ensure the essential characteristics of the village are not negatively affected. There were a lot of comments about flooding risk and we gained valuable knowledge about the areas particularly affected, which will inform our assessments of sites as they come forward. Shropshire’s recently withdrawn Local Plan expected Longden to have further development in the region of 25 houses. Despite the withdrawal of this new plan, we must expect further development in line with the Governments’ pronouncement for increased house building for whole country.

The working party have produced a set of criteria that any development site around Longden village must satisfy. We took this list to a drop-in session for everyone in February, and the consensus was that this was very suitable approach. We have nevertheless reviewed and updated the criteria to better reflect the community priorities. We are now in the process of collating information on all the sites put forward in response to Shropshire Council’s 2018 call for sites.

In view of the uncertainty over the Local Plan Review, we will also review sites elsewhere in the parish. We now need to identify landowners who have land adjacent to existing settlements to ask if they intend to put their land up for development following the criteria that has been developed and supported by the community. If so, they are invited to contact the Clerk at the address below and formally show their interest. Expressions of interest should include a plan of the proposed site and proposed access and a summary of the type of development envisaged. They should be submitted by Friday 29th August 2025. (Please note that whilst personal information will be treated as confidential, the outcome of our assessments will be place in the public domain).

We will undertake detailed assessments of sites against the revised criteria, to identify those most suitable to meet the housing need. Preferred sites and development policies will be included in the draft neighbourhood plan together with proposed local green spaces which will be protected from development. The draft plan will be checked for conformity with the adopted Local Plan before being subject to a local referendum.

Longden Housing Sites or Boundary Extension – Revised assessment criteria V2, May 2025

Overall Approach

Preference for smaller, distributed sites, in and around built settlements with community facilities. The community has particular concerns over surface water.

Proximity to village settlement boundary

Red: Separated from settlement boundary.

Amber: Adjoins settlement boundary but extends significantly into countryside.

Green: Adjoins settlement boundary and would not extend significantly into the countryside.

Note – red likely to remove the site from consideration, with the possible exception of brownfield sites in need of new uses.

Community facilities

Red: Car journey needed to reach facilities.

Amber: Walkable for some people (15 minutes)

Green: Facilities in close proximity (5 minutes)

Proximity to community facilities helps to create a more walkable neighbourhood.

Flood risk and surface water

Red: Clear evidence of flooding or adverse impacts from surface water.

Amber: Flooding and surface water issues but could be mitigated.

Green: No flood risk or surface water runoff issues.

Note – red removes the site from consideration. Amber would require policy to refer to mitigation in the design of a scheme.

Vehicular access and road capacity

Red: Access not possible or viable.

Amber: Satisfactory access could be created.

Green: Existing access.

Note – red removes the site from consideration. The capacity of the road leading to the site will be assessed also. Inadequate access or road capacity will effectively remove the site from consideration.

Brownfield sites

Red: Greenfield.

Amber: Part greenfield.

Green: Brownfield.

Preference for brownfield sites, but could select green field if next to built settlement and other criteria are largely positive.

Natural environment and landscape impacts

Red: Designated landscape or habitat in the site.

Amber: Designated landscape or habitat immediately adjacent, or other site sensitivity (for example trees and hedges).

Green: No landscape sensitivity

Preference to avoid environmental and landscape harm. Trees, hedges or other environmental features may need to be addressed in the policy, if the site is selected.

Visual impact on rural character

Red: High visibility and visual impact, for example due to prominent site or raised topography.

Amber: Visual impact could be mitigated through landscaping or design.

Green: Limited impact, for example site well-screened.

Screening or mitigation may need to be addressed in the policy, if the site is selected.

Heritage assets

Red: Development of the site in principle would be harmful to heritage assets (for example, loss of the landscape setting of a listed building).

Amber: Development would affect heritage assets but could be scope for positive or negative impacts.

Green: No impacts on heritage assets.

Note – this relates to the principle of development, not consideration of an actual scheme. An amber rating could be addressed through the policy, if the site is selected.

Site condition or other constraints

Red: Mining or other physical site conditions that preclude development or make it unviable.

Amber: Site conditions that affect part of the site only.

Green: No issues or constraints.

In some instances, this could remove a site from consideration. Or some issues could be addressed through the policy, if the site is selected.

Public Rights of Way

Red: Development not possible or very difficult due to PROW.

Amber: The site includes or flanks a PROW and this reduces development potential.

Green: No PROW.

PROW could be addressed through the policy, if the site is selected. Diversion of the PROW may be an option, but should not be assumed.

Impacts on community green spaces

Red: Involves the loss of community green space (green space used by the public).

Amber: Harm to community green space (for example to outlook, amenity or accessibility).

Green: No implications for community green space.

Need to check that site is not proposed for LGS designation.

Deliverability

Red: Site owner has no intention of developing or selling the site.

Amber: Site available but has constraints or viability challenges.

Green: Site viable and owner intends to develop or sell to a developer.

Note – red removes the site from consideration.

Longden Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group 18th June 2025

Email: clerk@Longdenparishcouncil.gov.uk

Click here to complete the Longden Parish Neighbourhood Plan Survey

Longden Parish Council has decided to develop a Neighbourhood Plan and is inviting residents to get involved by completing a short survey. Information on Neighbourhood Planning is available from Shropshire Council’s website Neighbourhood and community-led plans | Shropshire Council .

A public meeting to discuss the plan will be held on Wednesday 10th July 2024 at 7:30pm in Longden Village Hall.  Any resident wishing to take part is welcome to attend.  

A Neighbourhood Plan is a major piece of work for the community which is likely to take 2 – 3 years to complete but will give the community more say in how the parish is developed.  As with the Parish Plans and Village Design Statements developed since 2010 the Plan will need to be reviewed and kept up to date.  It must also conform to the Shropshire Local Plan and when completed will be subject to a referendum, so the Council will engage a Planning Consultant to advise them on planning policy.

If you would like to get involved you can learn more by contacting the Parish Clerk on Clerk@longdenparishcouncil.gov.uk