Infrastructure planning

Infrastructure includes utilities such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as other things such as roads, schools, open spaces, flood defences, broadband, health facilities, leisure facilities, and more.

The council works proactively with communities and infrastructure providers to understand the key infrastructure required to support development in Shropshire, and make our communities better places for everyone. These discussions also inform understanding of funding already available and opportunities to ‘draw-in’ additional funding to support infrastructure delivery.

This process informs the council’s decision on whether contributions are required from development to deliver necessary infrastructure, and the most appropriate approach to securing these contributions. Generally this will involve direct delivery as part of a development, use of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), use of planning obligations secured via a legal agreement, or a combination of these options.

Key infrastructure priorities identified through these discussions are included in each of our 18 place plans. These are ‘live’ documents which, in combination, cover Shropshire – usually (although not always) focusing on a market town and its surrounding rural communities.

Strategic infrastructure priorities and the approach to funding their delivery are identified within the Strategic Infrastructure and Investment Plan.