Frequently Asked Questions
Bellway Strategic Land are preparing an application now in response to Shropshire Council’s lack of five-year housing land supply, the adopted Local Plan being significantly out-of-date and the emerging Local Plan not being planned for adoption until 2028.
Sites such as this need to come forward for development to ensure an adequate supply of housing is built to meet the area’s needs.
The Government has set a target to deliver at least 1.5 million homes by 2029 given the on-going national housing crisis. Given Shropshire’s position, as set out above, this Site represents an ideal location for sustainable development to help boost the local and national housing supply.Bellway Strategic Land intend to submit an outline planning application to Shropshire Council in Summer 2026.
Outline planning permission is an initial, high-level planning approval that establishes if a development proposal is acceptable in principle, without needing detailed plans.
A ‘Reserved Matters’ application will follow in the future once this application has been determined which will provide the details of the appearance, scale, design and other more detailed aspects of the development.
The Council will notify local residents when the application has been registered and will request formal views on the submitted proposals.
The site’s strategic location within a short distance of all of the amenities, services and facilities in Market Drayton will benefit new residents. Combined with new, safe walking and cycling crossing points on the A53 proposed, residents will be able to access Market Drayton town centre, and its range of sports facilities, schools, employment opportunities and other day-to-day needs, without the need to use their car.
By road, the site’s location adjacent to the A53 will allow new residents to travel to key destinations such as Shrewsbury, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe and Whitchurch without the need to travel through Market Drayton.
The existing public right of way through the site will be retained. The route of the public right of way will be integrated into the new development alongside a network of new walking and cycling routes, ensuring that existing residents of Market Drayton can continue to enjoy seamless access to the countryside.
To ensure that future residents have a genuine choice to use active travel modes over private car for local journeys, crossing points across the A53 are proposed to connect with existing PROW routes to the south of the A53 which provide onward access to the services and facilities within Market Drayton.
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A pedestrian and cycle crossing facility over the A53 to the south of the Longslow Road will be provided. The crossing and connections on either side of the A53 would also benefit existing users of the PROW which crosses the site.
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A signal controlled pedestrian and cycle crossing with equestrian facilities will be provided over the A53 to upgrade the existing crossing adjacent to the Blanford Way roundabout. The crossing would be located to facilitate a key desire line between the site and Market Drayton town centre via the PROWs of Rush Lane and Loverose Way.
A network of pedestrian / cyclist routes would be provided within the site on a street / path network that prioritises active travel movements over car/motor vehicles, whilst reducing interactions with the A53 corridor.
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Market Drayton is served by several bus routes including a circular town service and two routes providing strategic access to nearby towns and centres of employment such as Whitchurch, Wellington, Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent.
The internal street network will be arranged to provide bus access along the main routes through the development. Opportunities to improve bus services are being explored.
The proposals do not include a new school provision. However, as part of the application, Shropshire Council will determine the impact on the existing local school network and assess whether developer funding is required to upgrade the existing infrastructure.
The proposals do not include provision for healthcare. However, given Shropshire Councils significant housing need, many of those moving in will do so from the area, and will likely be registered with existing healthcare providers.
In addition, as part of any planning application that comes forward, Shropshire Council will ask local consultees, including the local integrated care board to provide their feedback. This includes whether additional funding for services will be required because of the development. This funding will then form part of the legal agreement with Shropshire Council for the proposal to come forward.
It is proposed that the community hub will be a centrally located multifunctional facility to serve the existing and future community in this area.
The exact details of what the community hub will be are still to be determined. The team would welcome the community’s thoughts on what it would like to see.
A scheme of the size proposed is likely to take around 4-5 years to complete.