South Staffordshire homes and traveller sites plan set to move a step closer
Plans that would see more than 1,000 homes and 20 extra permanent traveller pitches built in Staffordshire are set to go to the Government for approval.
At a meeting next week South Staffordshire Council bosses are set to agree to send the plans, known as the site allocation document, off for government approval.
The local authority wants to build 1,070 properties in Bilbrook, Brewood, Cheslyn Hay, Codsall, Coven, Featherstone, Great Wyrley, Kinver, Swindon, Wheaton Aston and Wombourne.
And bosses are also proposing to add 20 pitches to existing dedicated traveller sites in Brewood, Cheslyn Hay, Coven, Coven Heath, Essington, Hatherton and also Wombourne.
The move follows five public consultations on the proposals, the first of which was in 2014.
It is expected that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, will come back with a decision on the plans later this year.
A spokeswoman for the council said: “At a full council meeting on Tuesday August 1, members will discuss the report of the chief planning officer, which recommends that they approve and endorse the site allocation document and supporting documents/evidence to be submitted for examination to the Secretary of State.
“If members approve the recommendation to submit, the local plans team will prepare the documents for formal submission.”
A total of 230 homes have been earmarked for Codsall, including 160 on land at Watery Lane, 50 in Keepers Lane and 20 on a site at the former adult training centre on Histons Hill.
A total of 102 homes are planned for land in Bilbrook off Pendeford Mill Lane.
Perton is due to see the single biggest development, with 163 homes earmarked for land west of Wrottesley Park Road.
Further south in Kinver, planners want to build 30 homes on land off Hyde Lane and 30 homes on a site south of White Hill. Wombourne has been earmarked for 179 homes, including 80 on land north of Beggars Bush Lane.
A total of 40 new homes have been earmarked for land west of School Lane in Coven and Coven Heath, under the proposals, while land off Engleton Lane in Brewood could see 53 homes built.
A total of 10 and 15 homes have been earmarked for Swindon and Wheaton Aston respectively while 158 are on the way to Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley. Featherstone would get just 60 at Brinsford Lodge. Coven and Coven Heath are set to see the majority of extra traveller pitches,
with proposals put forward to add them to sites in Granary Cottage, The Spinney, Brinsford Bridge, Horden Lodge and also Glenside.
In Brewood a traveller site at The Bungalow could be extended, while Old Landywood Lane and Brickyard Cottage in Essington will also see their traveller sites extended.
Other areas to be increased in size are High House and New Stables in Hatherton and Hospital Lane, Cheslyn Hay.
Kinver councillor Henry Williams said he backed the plans, but had some concerns.
“I am still concerned about the impact it will have on the Potters Cross junction. There is a chapel, a school and a through road from Enville,” he added.
“There is nothing wrong with the document and some sites are very suitable, such as the one off Hyde Lane in Kinver that is unobtrusive and will not affect Potters Cross.”
