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For the record⬇️ #oswestry #shropshire #heritage #hillforts #HillfortsWednesday #countryside #heritagematters #heritagevandalism

A must-read account of Shropshire Council #planning meeting where the committee voted to approve housebuilding: -within 300m of Old Oswestry hillfort, a scheduled monument -causing substantial change to views/landscape of a very important heritage asset Thanks @andybrockman.bsky.social 🦋

Save Old Oswestry No Councillor representing Oswestry took part in this planning decision which is profoundly important to Os, to the Borders,to the Nation,saw so many writing to object?Is it warrantable that Shrops Council took this decision as an imposition with no Os Councillor participating?

Save Old Oswestry Shouldn’t Oswestry have been represented in a decision affecting it? Is it legally a sound planning decision if there is no representation for the place and people affected by that planning decision? Is an imposed decision in all cases, but especially in this, challengeable?

Has Old Oswestry & the town simply been unlucky in Shropshire Council's local #planning process? Was it a fair contest? With 0/800 houses built on the uncontroversial Sustainable Urban Extension ca 500m away, why is this valued #landscape picking up the slack on #housing delivery?

Not the opinion of eminent archaeology academics Not the '000s of people against Not the site for 800 houses 500m away sitting vacant for 15 years Not even agreed conditions to minimise the harm to heritage that allowed it on the local plan Nothing could stop OSW004 & maybe more

At the recent planning meeting, Shropshire Council planner appears to refer to Oldport farm as "a former farmstead. It's now divided into industrial units." Listen here at 1:05:00 youtube.com/watch?v=RqCY87…

We tried to get wider area of hillfort's setting protected - application rejected.

On #HillfortsWednesday Magnificent Old Oswestry on Shropshire/Wales border. Under the guardianship of English Heritage Under the protection of Historic England from damaging development in its setting Yet facing ruin under Shropshire Council who approved 83 houses in its landscape

Quick check of Shropshire planning pages - no sign of a planning application for change of use.

1/2. At the planning meeting of 29 July 2023, the Shropshire Council planner appeared to refer to Oldport farm as "a former farmstead. It's now divided into industrial units." Listen here at 1:05:00 youtube.com/watch?v=RqCY87…

2/2 Since 2012, those pro developmnt have said heritage harm from housing at OSW004 would be mitigated by the farm sprawl–now compounded by apparent change of use/'industrialisation’ during the intervening years. Does it need/have planning permission? Is Historic England aware?

Solidarity with #blackcountry & devastating loss of #TheCrookedHouse In #Shropshire, Shropshire Council has approved widely opposed housing in #landscape of Old Oswestry hillfort. Too much of our valued, irreplaceable #heritage is being usurped, abused, destroyed to line pockets.

The local hillfort community group - Oswestry Heritage Gateway - were delighted to support English Heritage in the work to update Old Oswestry's signboard. #Oswestry #Shropshire #community #heritage #HillfortsWednesday

Good to know that visitors appreciate the signboards & Old Oswestry's fascinating story. But soon new boards will be going up. Its SE landscape will be littered with 'For Sale' signs and 83 houses after Shropshire Council gave green light for widely opposed devlp. #HillfortsWednesday

Yes, very sad that Shropshire Council's local planning process has belittled Old Oswestry's heritage significance & contribution of landscape setting to this importance. All to justify housing that the neighbourhood can -and public wants- to accommodate elsewhere. #HillfortsWednesday