More than 100 homes planned for former Staffordshire factory site

An application for 120 houses has been lodged with the district council.

If approved the properties will be built on the former Ultra Electronics site in Armitage Road, Rugeley.

The defence specialist firm moved from the site in 2008 to a purpose built base at Towers Business Park in the town.

Brereton and Ravenhill Councillor Alan Dudson said today: "The site has been empty for some time now and the factory has been knocked down.

"I have no problem with the application as long as the homes enhance the area."

The application has been submitted by the Royal Bank of Scotland, who have owed the land since acquiring it from housebuilder McInerney Homes after the company went into administration.

A decision on the application will be made by bosses at Cannock Chase Council in the coming months.

In 2010 plans to build 13 new homes at the site were turned down by planning bosses at the council. The proposals from developer Jessup Brothers were branded as an 'inappropriate development'.

Recently, a string of planning applications for new homes in Staffordshire have either been lodged with the district council or approved.

Last month designs for 14 new properties to be built in Norton Canes were given the green light by planning bosses.

The plans for the development in Norton East Road was for four two bedroom, six three bedroom, and four four bedroom houses with some facing Burntwood Road.

Plans have also been approved to build 39 new homes in Hill Ridware, near Rugeley where the former Royal Oak pub currently stands.

The former pub is empty and will now be demolished. Around 500 people currently live in Hill Ridware and the homes will see the population of the small village increase by 20 per cent.

Meanwhile work is set to soon start on a controversial housing development that will see 700 new homes, shops, and a primary school built on the edge of Cannock Chase.

The multi-million pound scheme at Pye Green Road, Hednesford, will see 142 acres of fields transformed into a new neighbourhood after developers and Cannock Chase Council finally sealed planning agreements.

Not all housing schemes have been given the go ahead however.

Last month plans for houses on the site of a former Royal British Legion centre in Rugeley were thrown out amid claims there would not be enough parking spaces near it.