Anger over exhibit on scheme for new homes

The leader of a group fighting plans to build 850 new homes in a Staffordshire village claims many people were not informed about exhibitions being held by a developer.

Roger Manning, chairman of Streethay Against Development (SAD), said they had received an apology from Miller Homes after leaflets failed to be delivered in Streethay, near Lichfield.

Mr Manning attended the first exhibitiion in St Michael's Church Hall in Lichfield to see the proposals for Foden Park, which lies off Burton Road.

The housing development on agricultural land would also include shops, a primary school and leisure facilities including a central park, leisure centre and sports pitches.

Mr Manning said SAD believed 850 new homes was a "crushing" amount of development for a small village like Streethay which only had about 200 homes.

"The future is quite bleak for Streethay if this goes ahead," he added.

Mr Manning said Miller Homes had yet to lodge a planning application and he said SAD would lodge a detailed objection once it is.

The group has already put its views to Lichfield District Council as part of its local development framework which require 8,000 new homes in the city by 2026.

Mr Manning said that when SAD met a Miller Homes' director recently to discuss its draft proposals, they had been promised they would be consulted, but notices about the exhibitions had not been delivered in Streethay. "The director has apologised and Miller Homes have agreed to put on an extra exhibition date," added Mr Manning.

The second exhibition at St Michael's Church Hall in St Michael's Road will be from 10am to 2pm on Saturday.

SAD believes the company is trying to get its scheme through before the local development framework is superceded by the Government's localism proposals.

Mr Manning said they understood Miller hoped to start on site in 2013.

In a statement Miller Homes said there would be two further exhibitions, including Saturday. "A further exhibition will be arranged to allow Streethay residents the chance to view proposals, which also include a primary school, neighbourhood centre and possible leisure centre," it continued.

"Comments made by visiting members of the public will be considered by Miller Homes, who hope to submit plans to the district council later this summer."