New homes plan granted green light despite extra traffic concerns

Outline plans for up to 45 homes, which have been earmarked for fields off Little Tixall Lane in Great Haywood, were given the go-ahead by Stafford Borough Council's planning committee during a meeting last Wednesday.

The land where the homes will be built is currently being used for equestrian grazing and the keeping of horses.

More than 20 neighbours had objected to the scheme and concerns were raised by residents over increased traffic if the houses were built.

Neighbours were also worried that local services such as GP surgeries and schools would not be able to cope with an influx of new families.

But the scheme, which will consist of a mixture of two and four-bedroom homes and 14 classed as affordable housing, won approval from the committee.

Planning agent Graham Fergus, speaking on behalf of the applicant, The Inglewood Investment Company, said: "This is a small scale development on a contained site.

"It will tackle an affordable housing shortfall."

The application was called in by Haywood and Hixon Councillor Jean Tabernor, who said narrow country lanes around the proposed development were not built to take large volumes of traffic.

Speaking at the meeting she said: "I can't understand why highways have no objections to this.

"Little Tixall Lane is just that – a country lane not built for a significant amount of traffic."

She said the road was already a 'rat-run' between Great Haywood and Little Haywood.

Holmcroft Councillor Frank James said he believed the main access could create problems and proposed that councillors should visit the site.

But Penkside Councillor Malcolm Millichap said he could not see any value in delaying a decision.

In a report to the planning committee, council officer Sally Brown said: "The development is located in a key service village which the plan for Stafford borough has identified as appropriate for further housing growth.

"There are no other reasons to resist development of this site and the proposals are, therefore, on balance, considered to be policy compliant and sustainable."

A total of 2,200 properties are planned for the Castlefields site to tackle a housing shortage.

Elsewhere in Staffordshire, work to build the first new council houses in Cannock in more than 25 years will start in February.

The initial build of 65 properties is part of a wider scheme which will see 141 homes built in total in the town.

They will replace 170 outdated flats on the Moss Road Estate that will be demolished to make way for the new development.

Last month, plans were lodged to build a total of 72 new homes in Armitage, near Rugeley.

The application has been made to Lichfield District Council by Birmingham-based firm, Applicant Touch Rugeley Ltd.

The firm behind the plans also proposes carrying out landscaping work as part of the large-scale scheme if the plans are given the go-ahead by council planning committee members.