Shropshire Council

'Strong local connection' definition

It's necessary for prospective occupiers to demonstrate strong local connections to the area where the settlement in question lies. This will require them to satisfy at least two of the following criteria for at least one of the adult members of the household:

  • Their parents were permanently resident in the local area at the time of the applicant’s birth
  • They were in permanent residence in the local area for any period of five years as a child attending a local school (or who for special reasons attended a school outside of the local area but would have been expected to attend a local school but for those special reasons)
  • They're currently lawfully resident in the local area and have lived there for at least the previous three years (five years in the case of applicants seeking to utilise the ‘build your own’ single plot scheme)
  • They don’t currently live in the local area but have previously lived there at some point for 15 continuous years as an adult
  • They're currently employed or routinely carry out self-employed work within either the local area or 5km of the site
  • They have a confirmed written offer of permanent work within either the local area or 5km of the site
  • They can demonstrate active community involvement in the local area sustained for at least the previous two years, or are determined by the parish council as having some other form of strong connection with the local community and/or its hinterland
  • Their parents currently live in the local area, or another close family member who provides or requires a substantial degree of support currently lives in the local area
  • If over 55, they have a close family member currently living in the local area

For more information please take a look at the current supplementary planning document.