Shropshire Council Green Belt Release Exceptional Circumstances Statement Published: August 2020 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 4 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 GREEN BELT IN SHROPSHIRE.................................................................................................................................................. 4 2. DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOCAL PLAN .................................................................................................................. 7 THE CURRENT LOCAL PLAN ................................................................................................................................................... 7 THE LOCAL PLAN REVIEW ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 CONSULTATION .................................................................................................................................................................. 7 EVIDENCE BASE .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Site Assessment ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 3. POLICY CONTEXT ..............................................................................................................................................10 NATIONAL POLICY ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 LOCAL POLICY .................................................................................................................................................................. 11 EMERGING LOCAL POLICY-SHROPSHIRE LOCAL PLAN 2016-2038 .............................................................................................. 14 DUTY TO COOPERATE ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 4. GREEN BELT RELEASE PROPOSED IN SHROPSHIRE ............................................................................................23 5. ALBRIGHTON ....................................................................................................................................................24 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................. 24 THE NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................................ 24 PROPOSED GREEN BELT RELEASE ......................................................................................................................................... 25 GREEN BELT ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW ................................................................................................................................ 27 OTHER PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 28 ASSESSMENT OF ALL OTHER REASONABLE OPTIONS ................................................................................................................ 30 EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES ............................................................................................................................................ 32 Supporting the Role and Function of Albrighton in the Future ................................................................................ 32 Meeting Local Needs in the Future .......................................................................................................................... 33 Sustainable Patterns of Development ..................................................................................................................... 33 Green Belt Performance .......................................................................................................................................... 34 SITE BOUNDARIES ............................................................................................................................................................. 34 COMPENSATORY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GREEN BELT ............................................................................................................. 35 6. ALVELEY ............................................................................................................................................................36 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................. 36 THE NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................................ 36 GREEN BELT ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW ................................................................................................................................ 37 PROPOSED GREEN BELT RELEASE ......................................................................................................................................... 39 ASSESSMENT OF OTHER REASONABLE OPTIONS ...................................................................................................................... 39 IDENTIFICATION OF GREEN BELT LOCATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 40 COMPENSATORY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GREEN BELT ............................................................................................................. 41 CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................................................... 42 7. BRIDGNORTH (STANMORE) ..............................................................................................................................43 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................. 43 BACKGROUND - BRIDGNORTH ............................................................................................................................................. 43 BACKGROUND - STANMORE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE ..................................................................................................................... 44 THE NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................................ 45 PROPOSED GREEN BELT RELEASE ......................................................................................................................................... 48 GREEN BELT ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW ................................................................................................................................ 49 Green Belt Release: Exceptional Circumstances Statement Page 1 OTHER PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 50 ASSESSMENT OF ALL OTHER REASONABLE OPTIONS ................................................................................................................ 51 Alternatives Options to the Expansion of Stanmore Industrial Estate .................................................................... 52 Alternative Options for the Expansion of Stanmore Industrial Estate ..................................................................... 54 EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES ............................................................................................................................................ 54 Supporting the Role of Stanmore Industrial Estate ................................................................................................. 55 Supporting the medium- and long-term needs of existing businesses .................................................................... 56 Attracting new businesses, particularly those in the ‘engineering and advanced manufacturing’ sector .............. 56 Supporting the Strategic Role of Bridgnorth ........................................................................................................... 57 Supporting the Aspirations of the Economic Growth Strategy for Shropshire ........................................................ 57 Green Belt Performance .......................................................................................................................................... 59 SITE BOUNDARIES ............................................................................................................................................................. 59 COMPENSATORY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GREEN BELT ............................................................................................................