The government has stepped into the long-running dispute over plans for Albrighton South. The Planning Inspectorate has issued a recovery direction for the appeal on land at Patshull Road, which means the final decision now rests with the Secretary of State instead of the Planning Inspector running the inquiry.
What is proposed
Boningale Developments Ltd wants outline permission for a mixed-use scheme on green belt land to the south of the village. It includes:
- up to 800 new homes
- a care home of up to 80 units
- a new secondary school
- a local centre, plus roads, drainage and other infrastructure
Shropshire Council's Southern Planning Committee refused the application unanimously in December 2025. The developer appealed, and a public inquiry was set to open on 15 September 2026.
Why the appeal was recovered
Ministers can call in, or recover, appeals that raise issues of more than local importance. In this case the reasons given were the scale of development proposed in the green belt and the significant or novel legal and planning questions it raises.
What happens now
The public inquiry carries on as planned, and evidence from the council, the developer and other parties will still be heard and tested there. The difference comes at the end. Instead of issuing a decision, the Inspector will write a report with a recommendation and send it to the Secretary of State, who will then decide whether to grant or refuse permission. Recovered appeals usually take longer to conclude than ordinary ones, because the report has to be considered by the department before a decision letter is issued.
Shropshire Council said it would continue to prepare and present its case in line with the inquiry timetable, and would work with the Planning Inspectorate to keep residents informed.
Albrighton Development Action Group (ADAG), the residents' campaign opposing the scheme, is taking part in the inquiry as a formal Rule 6 party alongside the council.
Read the documents
All appeal and inquiry documents, including the developer's evidence and the council's case, are published on Shropshire Council's Get Involved site.
Sources
- Shropshire Live: Secretary of State to decide Albrighton planning appeal (17 September 2026)
- Shropshire Council: Public inquiry, Patshull Road, Albrighton
This story was written by Albrighton.org.uk from the reports above. Spotted an error? Let us know.