First council houses to be built in Cannock in 25 years
Work to build the first new council houses in Cannock in more than 25 years will start in February after the £20 million project was held up by a private home owner.
Nicola Dickens, who lives on the Moss Road Estate in Chadsmoor, started a petition to change the layout which she said would devalue her house.
Council bosses had to put the development on hold while they looked into her complaint. A compromise with the 26-year-old has now been reached.
Miss Dickens said she knew the area was going to be redeveloped when she bought the house in August but had no idea of the design.
Now she says three of the properties will back on to her garden, blocking her light, infringing on her privacy and taking away the advantage of her corner plot.
She asked the council to turn the houses 90 degrees so they face the same way as her home and the proposed buildings in the street, and move them further away. She said: "This is my first home, and it's been a struggle to do it on my own. I bought an end plot for extra space and with a larger garden as I have dogs as well. Obviously my house will lose value if I have not one but three neighbours next to me. It seems the council have designed this to cause me more upset and disruption than is really necessary."
The council admitted they had included her property in error, and went back to the drawing board. Planning bosses have now agreed to move the houses one metre further away but insist on keeping the angle. They have also redesigned one of the houses to protect her privacy.
The wrangle has held up the project. Planning chairman John Kraujalis said: "This was a rather unusual situation but the work has not been delayed significantly. We now hope to start work in February."
The initial build of 65 properties is part of a wider scheme which will see 141 homes built in total. They will replace 170 outdated flats on the Moss Road Estate that will be demolished to make way for the new development.
The project was one of the first initiatives announced by the current Labour administration in Cannock Chase when it took over power at the last general election.
Housebuilder Keepmoat Homes will construct the new properties. The last council houses in Cannock Chase were built in 1987.
Miss Dickens said: "I wish the council had gone further but I'm glad that the houses are at least a bit further away from my property."
