Muller Property Group has formally lodged an appeal against Shropshire Council’s refusal of its outline planning application for up to 65 homes on land south of Audlem Road, Woore.
The appeal follows the Council’s decision in December 2025 to refuse the scheme, despite acknowledging a significant shortfall in its five-year housing land supply—currently estimated at around 3.8 years. Muller contends that this shortfall engages the presumption in favour of sustainable development and significantly reduces the weight that can be given to restrictive local policies.
The Woore proposals
The application seeks outline planning permission (with access to be determined) for up to 65 homes on a 3.2-hectare site on the edge of Woore. The proposals include a mix of two- to five-bedroom homes, with 10% affordable housing, alongside public open space, a children’s play area, landscape buffers and green infrastructure.
The site is directly adjacent to existing housing and within walking distance of local services, including the village shop, school, pub and bus stops. Pedestrian connections to the wider village, including a public right of way, are also proposed.
Why Muller is appealing
Shropshire Council refused the application on four principal grounds, including conflict with development plan policies, landscape impact, pressure on local infrastructure, and the view that the scheme’s benefits do not outweigh its harms.
Muller strongly disagrees with this conclusion and will argue at appeal that:
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The Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, triggering the “tilted balance” in favour of sustainable development
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The appeal site is sustainably located, immediately adjoining the village and well-related to existing development
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Landscape and visual impacts are limited and can be mitigated, with effects assessed as no greater than minor to moderate adverse
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The site comprises lower quality (Grade 3b) agricultural land, not classified as “best and most versatile”
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Infrastructure impacts can be appropriately addressed through planning obligations, including a Section 106 agreement and Community Infrastructure Levy contributions
The appeal will also draw on recent decisions elsewhere in Shropshire, including a similar scheme at Tilstock which was allowed on appeal in November 2025, where the Inspector found that housing need outweighed identified harms.
Steve Bourne, Technical Director at Muller Property Group said:
“We don’t bring forward appeals lightly, but in this case the planning balance clearly supports development. Shropshire Council has acknowledged a significant housing land supply shortfall, and national policy is clear that sustainable sites should come forward in these circumstances.
“This is a logical extension to Woore, not an isolated or speculative proposal. The site is well connected to services, and the scheme has been designed to integrate with the village while delivering much-needed new homes, including affordable housing and public open space.”
Next steps
The Inquiry will consider evidence on planning policy, housing land supply, landscape and visual impacts, highways, infrastructure and agricultural land quality.
Muller will continue to engage with Shropshire Council and local stakeholders as the appeal progresses.
The application can be viewed on Shropshire Council’s planning portal under reference 25/03245/OUT.
