SHROPSHIRE council planners were meeting as 'the Advertiser' went to press to decide whether to give the green light to building houses near the Linney beauty spot.

The Southern Planning Committee will meet to decide on whether or not it supports the development of eight homes at Linney House. The site is on the banks of the Corve within Ludlow’s conservation area.

The committee decision will only be advisory as the developer has already submitted an appeal to the planning inspectorate.

Shropshire Council planners are recommending that the planning committee indicates that it would have rejected the proposal.

This site lies outside the development boundary for Ludlow.

"I always believed the initial planning permission was granted under duress," said Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North.

"Not from the developer, but from the government’s planning rules. Those rules insist Shropshire Council identifies enough land for five year’s housebuilding.

"Back in 2014, the council could not demonstrate a five-year land supply and felt obliged to approve the scheme for three suburban houses. It has not been called in to planning committee by my predecessor as a councillor and was decided by officers.

The developer, James Hepworth, has two options if the planning inspectorate turns down this scheme of eight homes.

He could continue with the approved application for three suburban style homes. This development has been commenced.

Only a small area of garage foundation has been dug but that is sufficient for the planning permission to continue indefinitely.

Alternatively, Mr Hepworth can hope that the latest scheme for four homes is approved by Shropshire Council or, if he chooses to go the planning inspectorate,