Snatchfield Farm, Church Stretton is under threat again!
Posted to this website by kind permission of Ron Parnell
Planning application 26/00328/OUT is open for consultation until 3 March 2026
The application is for residential development of up to 75 dwellings including 33% affordable housing, landscape and biodiversity enhancements, drainage works, and means of access (including demolition of 23 Chelmick Drive).
https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage
The site was deemed wholly inappropriate for housing in 2021. The arguments to object have not changed.
Indeed, the case against building on Snatchfield is stronger than ever with strengthened protection from the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and policies in The Strettons Neighbourhood Plan. Please scroll down to find out more.
You can help by objecting to Planning application 26/00328/OUT until 3 March 2026 using this link:
Commenting on an application – FAQs | Shropshire Council
Please start your comments with the words “I object….”. Focus on the key points that you are most concerned about. Use your own words and try not to be too emotional in your response
For further help, see this guide produced by the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE): Guide on how to respond to a planning applications
Building on Snatchfield is an appalling idea!
SNATCHFIELDS is a peaceful haven for wildlife, comprising wet flushes, a stream and species rich grassland. It sits within a wider landscape of deciduous and mixed woodland, creating a buffer strip between countryside and the townscape.
Legislation and National Planning Policy
NATIONAL LANDSCAPES are protected under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. Section 245 states that the local authority has a statutory duty and“must attach greater weight to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of the area”. Paragraphs 189 and 190 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) support this statement. The NPPF provides protection to National Landscapes – any planning application for a major development should be refused other than in exceptional circumstances.
- Authorities such as Shropshire Council have a legal duty to seek to conserve and enhance the landscape and biodiversity of a protected landscape.
- SAMDev Plan 2025, Core Strategy 2011; Strettons Neighbourhood Plan – any major development outside Church Stretton’s development boundary is contrary to Shropshire Council policies CS5, MD7a, MD12 and S5.1. Inappropriate development outside of the development boundary undermines the wishes of the local population, as expressed in the Church Stretton Town Development Strategy (Policy S5.1) and the Neighbourhood Plan.
Housing Needs Survey and Neighbourhood Plan
Church Stretton’s Housing Needs Survey shows residents want 1-2 bedroom homes, for older single households, first time buyers and local people on modest incomes. They do not want more large homes built over the valley and hills around the town. The Neighbourhood Plan addresses these needs, placing emphasis on housing on brownfield sites.
Community Concerns
- Vehicular Access – access to Snatchfields via Clive Avenue, Ragleth Road and Chelmick Drive would generate an estimated additional 500 car journeys per day (excluding deliveries, etc). This would place an unsustainable burden and pose a significant safety risk to residents and visitors alike. The busy A49 junction would be loaded by additional traffic.
- Please click on the link below to read an analysis of Snatchfield traffic and transport issues in regard to the current planning application. It has been submitted to the Shropshire Council Planning Portal and is reproduced here with permission.
- Flood risk and climate change – Shropshire Council’s Strategic Flood Risk Assessment identifies the site as high risk from the impact of additional housing. The Shropshire and Staffordshire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, Part 3: Strategic Environmental Assessment for Shropshire Environmental Report, December 2015 states that “flood risk management should be sensitive to habitats and wildlife and sympathetic to landscape character.”
- Public right of way – Snatchfields is an important access point to the eastern hills, much valued for beauty and quietness. The bridleway is very well used by walkers, horse riders and cyclists.
Biodiversity
The site is home to priority habitats such as rush pasture and ancient and semi-natural woodland. It supports owls, brown hare, hedgehog, grass snake, six species of bats and otter. Bats and otters are protected species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
Regulations state that stepping stone features such as watercourses and small woods are essential for migration, dispersal and genetic exchange of wild species. Development would disrupt connectivity of the landscape. The Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 requires public authorities to deliver a Local Nature Recovery Strategy to combat the biodiversity crisis. Paragraph 193 of the NPPF states that if significant harm to biodiversity from a development cannot be avoided (mitigated or compensated for), planning permission should be refused.
How can I help?
You can help by objecting to Planning application 26/00328/OUT until 3 March 2026 using this link:
Commenting on an application – FAQs | Shropshire Council
Church Stretton Housing Plans 