Staffordshire 200 homes plan granted green light
Almost 200 homes will be built in a Staffordshire village after plans were given the go-ahead.
The two developments will see much-needed extra homes built on separate sites in Norton Canes.
Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is behind proposals to build a new estate comprising 112 three and four-bedroom homes and 18 affordable family properties on land off Red Lion Lane.
There were fears the scheme would be scuppered after Norton Canes Parish Council objected to the inclusion of a multi-use games area (MUGA) in the design, and requested that the developer swap it for a play area for young children instead.
Norton Canes ward representative, Councillor Zaphne Stretton, yesterday told the Cannock Chase planning committee the parish was fully behind the plans, but did not want the MUGA.
"The parish council and district council have actually approved this scheme beforehand when outline permission was given," Councillor Stretton said. "But since then our leisure department has placed upon the developer a recommendation that they add a MUGA to the plans.
"We are against this because we already have a MUGA situated 50 yards away. The first one is causing anti-social behaviour problems and we don't want that repeated on this site when it is built. A MUGA is for older children and what we need is a children's play area as the new estate will have young families."
Chris May, on behalf of Taylor Wimpey, said the company was happy to consider changing the plans.
"This is a good development for Norton Canes – we would ask that this application is not refused or deferred. We would like to move forward with the development," he said. The members approved the scheme and delegated the negotiations over the games facilities to council officers.
