Robeys Lane development
Questions have been raised over the potential impact of a huge development just outside Tamworth. Earlier this month North Warwickshire Borough Council approved over 1300 houses on the border of Tamworth.
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However, because the land is in the boundary of North Warwickshire Borough Council, councillors at Tamworth have no authority over the application apart from some changes to the highway which have received no objections from the Highways department at Staffordshire County Council.
However, council leaders have been challenged at a recent council meeting.
Raising the issue, resident Mark Hopkins asked whether the development poses a major risk to the infrastructure of the town and whether the development undermines the gap between the two settlements.
Responding, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness and Planning, Councillor Ben Clarke told Mr Hopkins: “The North Warwickshire local plan has a strategic gap. The purpose of which is to maintain the separate identity of Tamworth and Polesworth with Dordon, in order to prevent their coalescence.
“There are no new buildings proposed on this land but there is a link road proposed in order to implement the primary access into the allocated land front he B5000.”
However, the councillor confirmed the Staffordshire County Council’s highways team have confirmed that there will be no severe impact providing mitigation is in place. The now-approved development will see 1370 built with a 100-bed care home.
Councillor Clarke continued: “Yes when you have a development that will have an impact. However, for a development to be refused on a highway’s impact, the impact would have to be determined as severe and it hasn’t been.”
