Shropshire targets future WMCA link-up

Rural Shropshire is eyeing up a tie-up with its urban neighbours in Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham to ensure the county is not left behind in national development plans.

Shropshire Council has issued a formal response to a government request for views on a proposed Spatial Development Strategy for the area, a plan which sets out how councils can work with each other to deliver on regional targets for homes, infrastructure and jobs.

And the authority says it wants to develop closer ties with neighbours at Telford & Wrekin, adding that its economic future is “closely linked” to the West Midlands via the M54 corridor.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launched a consultation on proposed geographic boundaries for its Spatial Development Strategies earlier this year.

The planned geographic regions for the strategies mostly following existing, or planned, combined authority areas.

But for 11 local authority areas which are not part of a wider regional authority, including Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands, the government asked for suggestions about how the region could potentially be divided up for future planning purposes.

Shropshire’s response proposes that the county initially works with neighbours Telford & Wrekin Council on an Spatial Development Strategy, with a “pathway” to working alongside the West Midlands Combined Authority in the future.

The council says development along the M54, which ends in Telford but continues as the dual-carriageway A5 as it passes into Shropshire, supports thousands of jobs, major employment sites and important supply chains, and needs to be planned in a “joined‑up way”.

“The M54 corridor is essential to Shropshire’s future growth and prosperity,” said Cllr Heather Kidd, leader of Shropshire Council.

“Working at a strategic level helps us plan properly, attract investment and make sure Shropshire’s priorities are clearly understood and built into national decision‑making.”

“By setting out a clear and constructive position we are ensuring Shropshire plays a full role in shaping future growth so that rural areas benefit alongside our towns and cities.”

Last month, Telford & Wrekin said it was considering its position on the government’s SDS proposals, adding that it was open to working with neighbouring authorities where there was a “clear benefit” for the borough’s residents.

Telford became an independent unitary authority after splitting from Shropshire in 1998, and has always defended its independence vigorously.

“Retaining our independence and identity as Telford and Wrekin is non-negotiable and we are quite clear that any future moves, whether they be devolution, partnerships or anything else must deliver clear benefits for our residents,” council leader, Cllr Lee Carter, told Place Midlands in a statement last month.

The Government will now consider responses from councils across the country as it develops its approach, with its proposed SDS’s expected to be fully established by the end of the current parliament in 2029.