The public inquiry into Boningale Developments' appeal opened at Shropshire Council's Guildhall in Shrewsbury on Tuesday 15 September, with more than 40 members of the public in the chamber.
Opening statements
Christopher Katkowski, for the developer, said the scheme would create a sustainable settlement, pointing to the proposed care home and school, and to the council's lack of a five-year housing land supply.
Hugh Richards, for Shropshire Council, accepted the scheme had some benefits but said it was too large for its location and that permission should still be refused.
Chatura Saravanan, for Albrighton Development Action Group (ADAG), said the scheme was inappropriate development in the green belt and that a shortfall in housing land did not make any development acceptable.
Local voices
Parish councillor Peter Illes, for Albrighton and Donington Parish Council, described a major and permanent loss of green belt. He estimated 800 homes could bring 1,200 to 1,600 extra vehicles, questioned the need for a new school and raised concerns that a supermarket could harm the High Street.
Around 20 residents spoke at an evening session, raising drainage, sewerage, roads, heritage, wildlife and the loss of farmland and countryside.
Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, also spoke against the appeal. He said his objection was to the location and scale rather than to housing in general, that the site lies outside Albrighton's settlement boundary and is not allocated in the Local Plan, and that poor walking, cycling, bus and rail links would leave residents reliant on cars.
Concerns from Shifnal
Zoe Turner of the Shifnal Matters group told the inspector that traffic from the scheme would fall heavily on Shifnal, adding to two large developments already under way on the A464. She said the transport assessments did not account for those schemes and asked the inspector to dismiss the appeal on highways grounds alone.
Sources
- Shropshire Star: 'Not sustainable, not justified', 800 homes green belt inquiry opens (15 September 2026)
- Shropshire Star: MP urges planning inspector to reject 800-home green belt plan (16 September 2026)
- Express & Star: Shifnal road concerns raised at Albrighton 800 homes green belt inquiry (18 September 2026)
This story was written by Albrighton.org.uk from the reports above. Spotted an error? Let us know.