Housing plans passed for former factory site despite school and flooding fears
A former factory site near Stafford town centre is set to be transformed into a new housing estate.
Stafford Borough Council’s planning committee has granted permission for developer St Modwen to build up to 365 homes on the land off Lichfield Road previously occupied by Alstom.
Committee members visited the site, where the former factory buildings have been demolished, before making their decision at a special meeting.
Robert Barnes, speaking in support of the application, said St Modwen was aiming to regenerate the site as soon as possible after securing planning permission.
He added: “The site is readily capable of accommodating the number of dwellings proposed while making sure important considerations such as green space and provision of open space are respected. This scheme will reduce the pressure of housing developments in less sustainable locations such as greenfield sites.
“Members will be aware of the history of employment use on this site, but a new chapter has opened following the relocation of the former occupier and demolition of the redundant buildings. This is not an appropriate location for a major large scale industry, warehousing or distribution, but it is exceptionally well-suited for regeneration to provide housing for people close to the town centre.”
Ward councillor Chris Baron, who called in the application because of concerns about over intensification of the site, highlighted the impact of hundreds more residents on local services.
She said: “We’re looking at a development of 365 houses and a minimum of 700 people – probably over 1,000 to be quite honest.
“St Paul’s and St Austin’s primary schools are both full to capacity and it is quite some way for children to go to St Leonard’s School. There are no community centres in the Forebridge area, something that is much-needed.
“There has been no discussion about medical care or expansion of the hospital. Has the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) or UHNM (University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust) been consulted? These people will need medical care and I think it is a disgrace if they haven’t been consulted.”
Planning officer John Holmes responded that the CCG are only consulted on applications for more than 500 houses however – and even with a large development such as Burleyfields there were no medical facilities proposed.
Councillor Marnie Phillips proposed that the application be refused permission on the grounds of “deficiency in social facilities such as spaces in schools”.
She said: “Stafford schools are full – we have children from the same family that are having to attend different schools because they can’t take two children from the same family.
“These families have to send their children to school and we are making it very difficult for that to happen if there are no places.”
Fellow Baswich ward councillor Ann Edgeller said St Modwen were already building more than 400 new homes on another former factory site off nearby Fairway. She also spoke of existing flooding issues on nearby housing estates.
She added: “Every year we get Silkmore Lane flooded and floods on The Meadows. As councillors we are the people who have to take the phonecalls and we have a meeting next week with Severn Trent Water about the sewage situation on The Meadows.
“Every winter we get manholes coming up and raw sewage on the roads, it’s causing absolute chaos.”
Councillor Jack Kemp said: “I’m not happy with the number of houses being proposed and the reduced amount of affordable housing. There are supposed to be 109 properties affordable on that estate and they are offering 36. That to me is immoral.”
And Councillor Jill Hood said houses would be “crammed in” on the site.
But just five committee members supported Councillor Phillips’ proposal to refuse permission and the application went on to be approved.
