More than 100 homes for Staffordshire ex-factory site
More than 100 homes are to be built on a former factory site in Rugeley – seven years after the scheme was first mooted.
The housing estate will be on the former Ultra Electronics site in Armitage Road. The defence specialist firm relocated to another part of the town in 2008.
Developer McInerney Homes was given approval to build 150 houses and flats on the site but went into liquidation later that year.
The factory was knocked down several years ago and the brownfield site has been empty ever since.
The homes plan has now been resurrected.
The move has been welcomed by Brereton and Ravenhill councillor Paul Fisher, who said the land had been used by travellers and targeted by yobs.
He has asked the council to remove alleyways linking the new houses to an adjoining estate but said the revival of the plan was 'fantastic'.
"Travellers have moved onto the site at least half a dozen times, vandals have kicked the fence in and people have got in and stolen cable," he said.
"It's now patrolled regularly but the sooner it's redeveloped the better.
"From experience alleyways attract anti-social behaviour but in the main we're looking forward to having the site redeveloped.
"It's a mess, and has been getting worse over the last three or four years."
The Royal Bank of Scotland, which took control of the site after the collapse of McInerney Homes, has decided to put the land on the market again subject to obtaining fresh planning permission.
The original planning application had been for 150 homes, including 60 flats.
The new scheme, which has been approved by Cannock Chase Council's planning committee, involves 107 houses and no flats, although permission was given for up to 120 homes.
Councillor Fisher said the new development reflected current demand.
The initial scheme was an over-development, there were far too many homes," he said.
"This is much better. The bank has made it a much more attractive proposition for a developer by selling with planning approval. We just need to crack on with it now."
In 2010 plans by developer Jessup Brothers to build 13 homes at the site were turned down. Council bosses branded it 'inappropriate development'.
