So what happens now?
Back in 2020 Shropshire Council rejected Shropshire Homes' application to build on one of Ludlow's last remaining green spaces. In May 2021 Shropshire Homes applied for an appeal against this decision, after rejecting our offer to buy the land for a fair price (more than they paid for it!).
Fast forward to February 2022 and the appeal has been DISMISSED! We are absolutely ecstatic! Thank you so much everyone for all your massive support.
The next steps will be interesting ones...! We will update everyone here as soon as we are able to. In the meantime check out this blog by Andy Boddington.
What has been going on?
Between 22 and 26 March 2021 huge damage was done to the ecosystem that is the meadow by harshly felling trees and roughly clearing vegetation from the quarry face. It is feared that this was done - despite clear protest from the community - to make it more likely for an appeal to be considered sympathetically. It is reckoned that round 20% of the usable surface of the meadow was lost in that period.
Works are in progress including slope regrading, rock bolting and soil nailing works to stabilise the existing quarry face but we don't yet know what the future of the meadow itself looks like.
Can the community just buy the meadow?
Unfortunately not. Prior to the planning decision, Shropshire Homes turned down an approach from the Action Group with around £130 000 in pledges, saying that ‘This figure is significantly less than we would generate as profit.’
This was seriously disappointing news especially after the community had rallied round and pledged such a significant sum for a piece of land barely bigger than a foot ball pitch (0.6 hectares)! We have not heard any further news about this and hope shrinks by the day as Shropshire Homes destroy more of the character of the Meadow.
