A new £1million community centre for Corvedale is on the way – despite local objections.
Councillors on the at South Shropshire District Council planning committee this week approved the application.
Resident David Mason was at the meeting. He spoke on behalf of residents who are objecting to the plans, saying they do not complement the landscape and impacted on the Shropshire Hills.
He said: “Diddlebury has no main drains and the development will screw the drains up completely and we already have problems with flooding.”
Supporters of the development said they had held public consultations all the way through the process and, at the last one, 74 per cent of the people who came said the community centre’s design met the needs of the people.
Councillor John Lloyd said the development amounted to a leisure centre for the Corvedale and the project was very ambitious. He said: “Should it not be on a main road with proper transport and a bigger catchment area?”
Councillor Vi Parry said the scale of the planned development was “unbelievable” and added that it was “totally wrong”.
Jake Berriman, head of planning at SSDC, confirmed that the development did not fall within the area of outstanding natural beauty or a conservation order.
The planning committee’s vote, after a lengthy debate, totalled two councillors ‘for’ and two ‘against’ with four abstentions.
Committee chairman Cllr Colin Pendry, had the casting vote and gave his approval.
