300 take to streets in Stafford homes protest

Residents are angry about a fresh planning application involving land in Stowe Lane, at the back of The Green Man pub in Hixon.

A similar development was refused in November because of landscaping and highways issues.

Villagers in Hixon and Stowe-by-Chartley set off from either end of Stowe Lane on Monday, meeting in the middle where the entrance to the development is proposed

The protestors say the lane is too narrow to provide a safe access on to the site.

Brendan McKeown, chairman of Hixon Parish Council, described the turn-out for the demonstration as 'absolutely amazing'.

He said: "Considering we only had a limited time to get the message out about the protest, we were delighted with the number of people who turned out.

"It's clear that people feel very strongly that the application should be turned down for all sorts of reasons, not least that it's quite ridiculous to believe access to the site, off a narrow lane with a 60mph speed limit should even be considered."

Gladman Developments' original plan for 115 homes on the site was rejected by Stafford Borough Council last year. The new application is for 90 homes.

But Mr McKeown said the principle remained, regardless of the number of homes.

He said: "The only difference is that passing points have been marked in along the lane indicating where commercial vehicles would be able to pass each other.

"That is not addressing the main problem of the danger to pedestrians and other road users."

The proposal involves a mixture of detached houses, linked town houses and a small number of apartment buildings with both two and three bedrooms.

The 12-acre site is currently four small fields, with the largest used as a golf course and a caravan park at the rear of the pub.

Gladman Developments say the project will provide high quality homes which would enhance the character of Hixon.