Protests outside Shirehall ahead of Winney Hill inquiry
A protest took place in front of Shirehall this morning ahead of a planning inspector’s investigation of the Winney Hill development off Ellesmere Road in Shrewsbury.
Senescura Ltd is hoping to build a 17-acre site adjacent to Hencote Vineyard to the east alongside Ellesmere Road. It would be capable of accommodating up to 250 elderly people and creating 155 new jobs.
The plans include building 182 (1, 2 & 3 bedroom) Extra Care and Close Care apartments and bungalows, a 75-bed nursing home containing an integrated specialist dementia unit and a community centre providing treatment and therapy rooms, swimming pool and gym, lounges, restaurant, cinema room and communal gardens.
Many are against the plans saying it will spoil the beauty of the area, they also fear the burden it will put on Shrewsbury’s NHS as well as increasing local shortages of nurses and social care staff.
Days before a public inquiry into an appeal against Shropshire Council’s refusal of outline planning permission a £1.3 million offer for ‘affordable’ housing was made.
A Shropshire Council spokesperson said: "The appellant has offered a £1.3m affordable housing contribution at a very late stage in the process.
"The Local Planning Authority’s position was that it was too late and that the inquiry should proceed without the contribution.
"The Inspector has decided to continue with the inquiry but also consider the contribution."
Protests were today organised by Herongate resident and local campaigner Ben Jephcott, joined by the town’s Liberal Democrat councillors.
Local health campaigner Alex Wagner said: “Winney Hill is an important local landmark and the repeated efforts to develop on it are rightly being met with fierce resistance by local residents. We back them all the way, and I was proud to be out campaigning in Herongate and in front of Shirehall this morning alongside them.
“We can’t lose sight of the fact that Shirehall’s own social services and elderly care team objected themselves to this. They fear the burden it will put on Shrewsbury’s NHS and the already dire local shortages of nurses and social care staff, and will have to deal with the mess this would cause first-hand.”
Herongate resident Ben Jephcott added: “Winney Hill is a much-loved local landmark, which is outside the local plan. We have to save it and stop traffic chaos on Ellesmere Road. Residents have a good case and deserve to be listened to - Shirehall must not surrender.”
