500 sign petition against homes plan in Stafford
Hundreds of people have now joined a campaign to halt controversial plans for 155 homes in Stafford, which have previously been thrown out.
The homes and 55 care apartments would be built next to the A34 Cannock Road, near Action Hill Road, if they are given the green light.
But more than 160 people have objected to the plans on the council's website, including Berkswich Parish Council, Baswich Community Group and a number of councillors.
And a petition has been signed by more than 500 people so far.
Last year developer Gladman Land submitted an appeal against South Staffordshire Council's decision to refuse permission, then withdrew the appeal at a later date.
The plans, which received 178 objections, were refused by the council last year after a coach load of residents attended a planning committee meeting.
Now a fresh application has been submitted for the 7.9 hectare site.
Daniel Cadden started the petition and listed a number of reasons why he wants it to be refused.
He said: "This proposed development, already once rejected, presents a number of problems for nearby local communities, not least: the land is designated open countryside, the proposed site is not designated in the South Staffordshire Council Core Strategy Plan which allocates land for development purposes, increased risk of traffic incidents along the A34 as access would be situated close to three other access roads.
"The nearest access to M6 J13 is a single track road that already poses safety concerns, increased traffic congestion on the A34 and decreasing air quality.
"Of particular concern as the adjacent footways are often used by children walking to and from school, other already approved nearby developments are already set to add to the pressure on local services already at and over capacity - primary health care, education etc, some of the proposed housing is 'with care' - yet this development is a considerable distance from many local amenities and poorly served by public transport.
"There are other sites far more appropriate and far more suitable. South Staffordshire District Council should reject this planning application."
The news comes after a 'misleading' brochure previously distributed by the developer was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority after portraying the previous development as a seven-acre park.
Gladman Land sent brochures to residents designed to look like a newspaper titled ‘The Staffordshire Standard’ with a front page story heralding the arrival of a new country park on their doorstep.
However the leaflets were in fact trying to gain support for the application to build 155 houses and 55 care apartments.
Objections were made to the Advertising Standards Authority, which has upheld the complaint that it is misleading.
A decision will be made on the plans in the coming months.
