Shenstone Neighbourhood Plan Review, 2024-2040

The first Shenstone Neighbourhood Plan was made in 2016. The Neighbourhood Plan is a formal land use plan which directs future development in the area. Along with the Lichfield Local Plan, it is used to determine planning applications in Shenstone. The 2016 Plan covered changes to the green belt, housing supply, design and density, walking, cycling and the provision of recreation and community facilities.

Scan this QR code to access the 2016 plan document


The current 2016 Shenstone Neighbourhood Plan covers the period up to 2029. This completion date is fast approaching and so it is necessary to review and update the Plan. Work commenced in 2023 through a working group. Many valued, existing policies will remain, however we now asking you, the community, what do you think of our update? What have we missed?

We are holding a drop-in consultation event where more detail will be provided about the proposed changes to the Shenstone Neighbourhood Plan. We hope you can attend and give us your views.

The consultation event details are as follows:-

Date: Tuesday 19th March 2024

Time: 3pm – 7pm (drop in at any time)

Location: Shenstone Library, Main Street, Shenstone, WS14 0NF

If you can’t make the event then please send your views to the Shenstone Parish Clerk by Friday 29th March:

By email to: admin@shenstone-staffs.gov.uk
By post to: Shenstone Parish Council, 25C Main Street, Shenstone, WS14 OLZ

A summary of the areas that the Shenstone Neighbourhood Plan Review has addressed are listed below.

What planning policy is proposed to stay the same?

  • Protection of green belt boundaries.

  • Design of residential infill and backland development which must still protect the amenity of neighbours and avoid over-developing sites.

  • The dwelling mix of developments must still provide a majority of one, two and three bed homes.

  • Land at Shenstone Business Park; this site is still allocated for approximately 50 dwellings, employment space and step-free access to Shenstone railway station, whilst also encouraging improved pedestrian access across the Lynn Lane Bridge and opening up the Footherley Brook as a green wildlife corridor.

  • Commercial development; the plan still requires parking and HGV traffic created by new business development to not have a detrimental impact on residents.

  • Local green spaces; Shenstone Playing Fields, the Lammas Land and Malkins Coppice will remain as protected from development.

  • Community recreational facilities; there is continuing support for improvements at Shenstone Playing Fields.

What new planning policies are proposed?

  • Appropriately designed and retrofitted solar panels and double glazing in the Conservation Area.

  • Energy efficient new homes in wildlife and dark skies friendly developments.

  • Flexible use of community spaces for micro business development.

  • The possibility of a small play area serving the south of the village.

What is proposed to be removed?

  • The policy requiring high quality broadband connections should be removed as this is now a requirement of national policy.

The Neighbourhood Plan Review has covered both formal planning and also wider proposals affecting our village environment quality. These include:

  1. New walking and cycling routes

The review proposes specific circular walking and cycling routes to add to general support for improvements in the existing Neighbourhood Plan.

  1. Wildlife-friendly development

The review suggests ways that development can achieve ‘biodiversity net gain’ through design of features on buildings that encourages wildlife to thrive. This includes:

Hedgehog friendly fences

Swift bricks

Green roofs on bin stores

  1. Low energy and energy efficient design

The review cannot require development to be as energy efficient as possible (national policy prevents this). But it can encourage development to achieve highly energy efficient buildings through design.

  1. Renewable energy and energy efficient measures affecting heritage

Development in the Shenstone Conservation Area or on listed buildings can be restricted from putting in energy efficient measures because of heritage considerations. Examples include double glazing and solar panels. The review proposes a more permissive approach to retrofitting, provided the measures use materials and designs that are sensitive to local heritage.

  1. Light pollution

Development must limit its light pollution impacts on the environment and wildlife.

  1. Air quality & Environment

We want to ask you about the ways in which your local area & environment could be improved.

  1. ­ Traffic hazards and parking issues

We want to ask you about traffic volumes and velocities and the traffic calming measures you feel are appropriate. We want your views on the places in the village which we feel are unsafe for pedestrians and also where parking has become a problem.

There will be more detail at the community consultation event on 19th March at Shenstone Library. Come along and tell us what you think.