Residents give Rugeley Power Station masterplan the thumbs up

Dozens of residents flocked to a community exhibition at Mansefield House to showcase the outline proposals submitted by Engie for the Rugeley Power Station site.

A masterplan to transform Rugeley Power Station into 2,300 homes was submitted to Lichfield District Council and Cannock Chase Council earlier this year. The outline application also consists of 1.2 ha of mixed-use buildings, five ha of employment land, a primary school, open space and key infrastructure.

And residents at Thursday's exhibition event have given the scheme the thumbs up.

Dave Hanmer, 68, who worked at Rugeley Power Station for 40 years, said: "I think the plans are excellent. I have not only got an interest for the future, but as I spent most of my working life there too.

"I think its very good and the alternative is nothing – that's not an alternative. I am just pleased someone is willing to spend money redeveloping the site.

"Hopefully it will help rejuvenate the rest of the town which is a bonus."

Rugeley resident Colin Overton-Fox said: "We have only recently moved to the area. I think it's a good scheme building extra homes - which is needed.

"There are plenty of facilities incorporated. It's a good scheme all round."

However a local angling group, which uses the site's lake, have expressed concerns over plans to turn it into a lakeside development for water sports.

Rugeley Power Station RPS Angling Club is calling for The Borrow Pit to remain as a fishing lake. But the plans reveal a vision for The Borrow Pit to become a hub for water sports, such as kayaking and swimming.

John Machin, from the angling club and has been fishing at the lake since 1972, said: “Our main concern is the retention of The Borrow Pit lake and other fishing locations on the site. It is a very deep lake, well over 40 foot deep in some spots. It is like a quarry when you step out into it and then there’s steep drops. There have been attempts to put a sailing club there in the past, but it just did not work.

“We are concerned particularly after the incidents at Chasewater and at Westport Lake in Stoke recently where people have got into trouble. In 40 years of being a fishing club at this lake, we have not had one incident.

“I think the water sports would be a bad idea."

Chris Riches, project manager for development at Engie, said: "We have had a very positive response from residents so far, they have been very supportive. We have done five or six events in the community and this is our post planning application exhibition.

"I think overall across all the events we have had more than 500 people attend the different events since November last year. They like the fact we are retaining the lake in our scheme and also that we have included plans for a primary school.

"We are hoping for the plans to go to the authorities to get determination by the end of this year."

The two authorities are due to make their decisions on the outline planning application at a later date.