Reform UK Oswestry area

🚧 Quick heads up everyone — we’re sharing this because planning rules nationally may be shifting again, and it could affect our area. Cllr Brian Evans has put this in plain English (without the usual planning gobbledegook). Over to Brian👇
[POST – CLLR BRIAN EVANS]
⚠️ Big changes may be coming to planning — and our communities need to be wide awake.
The Government has consulted on a draft rewrite of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
👉 This is based on current Government draft proposals — not yet final policy.
What this could mean in practice (if adopted):
1) Local Plans still exist
…but in more cases, national policies may carry more weight, which can reduce local discretion where national tests apply.
2) More “default yes” territory
The direction of travel includes a stronger presumption in favour of development in certain locations — including within settlements and, in some cases, development near railway stations.
3) Faster decisions, less wriggle room
The emphasis is clearly on speed and delivery — especially for housing and infrastructure.
4) The local fight shifts from “stop it” to “fix it properly”
If refusal becomes harder to defend, the real job locally becomes pushing hard on:
• roads and traffic
• drainage and flooding
• safety and access
• design and heritage
• enforceable planning conditions
👉 In short: real-world impacts, not just policy arguments.
The Reform view:
We back local control and infrastructure before development — and we’ll keep calling out any system that quietly shifts power away from communities while pretending it’s just “streamlining”....
If you thought planning was complicated before… congratulations, you’ve unlocked Level 2. 😅
📣 I’ll keep residents updated as this moves from draft to final policy.
Best regards,
Cllr Brian Evans.

💬 A word from Cllr Brian Evans
“This is the very first stage of the new Local Plan process, so it’s important to understand what it is — and what it isn’t.
At this point, the Council is not deciding where development will go. Instead, it is asking how those decisions should be made in future.
You may hear about the ‘call for sites’. This is simply a process where landowners or developers can put forward land for consideration. It doesn’t mean those sites are approved or will be built on — they will all be assessed later against agreed criteria.
This consultation is our opportunity to influence those criteria — things like drainage, road safety, infrastructure and local services — so that any future decisions properly reflect the needs of our communities.
I would strongly encourage residents and parish councils to take a few minutes to have their say.”
👉 Take part here:
https://getinvolved.shropshire.gov.uk/consultations/shropshire-local-plan-scoping-consultation/

📢 Admin Post
🔷 Shropshire Local Plan – Have Your Say 🔷
Shropshire Council has launched the first stage of consultation on a new Local Plan — the document that will guide how the county develops over the coming years.
This early stage is about gathering views on:
• What the plan should prioritise
• How development should be planned
• What issues (such as infrastructure, flooding and services) need to be properly considered
👉 Take part here:
https://getinvolved.shropshire.gov.uk/consultations/shropshire-local-plan-scoping-consultation/
⏳ Open until 15 July 2026
Our man in Council, Cllr Brian Evans, will give his take on it here soon.

Need a half-term plan? The dinosaurs are calling 🦖🦕