Muller ponders next steps after Shropshire refusal

Plans to build dozens of new homes in the tiny Shropshire village of Woore have been knocked back by council planners.

Developer Muller Property Group says it’s considering its next move after the Shropshire Council decided against the proposed scheme, earmarked for a site outside the village’s development boundary.

Alsager-based applicant Muller put forward outline proposals in August, which included building 60 homes on what it described as a highly sustainable 8-acre plot of farmland off Audlem Road, to the West of the village centre.

A total of 51 homes were expected to be sold on the open market in indicative plans for the site, with nine allocated for affordable housing.

Via a supporting statement prepared by Shrewsbury-based planning agent, Berrys, the developer said the layout of the scheme would “reflect the existing built form of Woore” and re-enforce the character of the rural village.

However, Woore Parish Council did not agree – and lodged a lengthy objection, joining around 5% of the village’s 600 or so existing households in doing so, describing the development as “wholly disproportionate”.

Woore formally adopted a neighbourhood plan in 2019, establishing a development boundary for the village and declaring that new housing developments should be “relatively small, unobtrusive and reflect local needs”.

The neighbourhood plan for Woore indicates a cap on development at 30 new homes up to 2036, however in the now-scrapped draft Shropshire Local Plan, Woore was put forward as a “community hub” settlement – with a guideline for around 88 dwellings within Woore, and neighbouring villages at Irelands Cross and Pipe Gate.

The authority decided to withdraw its draft local plan in February in response to the planning inspectorate’s decision that was “unsound”, tilting the planning balance significantly towards approval for schemes in the open countryside.

A spokesperson for Muller Property Group said the firm was “disappointed” with the decision, but did not confirm an intention to appeal at this stage.

“We remain committed to delivering high-quality, sustainable homes that support the long-term needs of the community,” they said.

“We will now take time to review the council’s decision in detail and consider our next steps.”

Plans relating to the application can be viewed on Shropshire Council’s planning portal using reference: 25/03245/OUT