Staffordshire housing estate involving more than 200 homes appeal set
Plans for more than 200 homes on land on the border between Lichfield and Tamworth are set to be appealed. The developer – Summix BLT Developments Limited – notified the planning inspector last week and launched an inquiry into the decision.
The plans for land north of Browns Lane in Wigginton were unanimously refused by councillors at Lichfield District Council in November, in line with the officers recommendation which labelled the plans “inappropriate and unacceptable”. They were also unanimously rejected by councillors at Tamworth Borough Council in December as the site is not allocated for development.
Objections to the scheme were submitted by Wigginton, Hopwas and Comberford Parish Council over concerns about the impact on the local area and highways safety. Additionally over 60 letters of objection were submitted across both authorities.
If approved, the plans would have delivered 210 affordable houses and made contributions towards school places. The development would have also delivered 20 per cent biodiversity net gain.
The appeal document states: “The appeal site is not within an existing built-up area nor is it allocated for housing. However, it is located to the North of Tamworth which is identified as a Broad Location for Development within the Development Plan.
“Affordable housing need is significant within both Lichfield District and Tamworth Borough. It will be shown that the deliverable supply of affordable housing is such that this need will not be met within the next five years and given the plan-making situation in both areas, this situation will not be resolved in the short or medium term.
“It will be demonstrated that there are no technical objections to the Appeal Proposal from statutory consultees and there are no barriers to rapid delivery of the Appeal Proposal for much-needed affordable housing. The impacts of the Appeal Proposal would be acceptable in all other respects.”
The inquiry is set to last for six days and will open on Tuesday July 2. Once concluded the planning inspector Mr A McGlone will decide whether to proceed with the development.
