Stafford Rugby Club move plan to go ahead

Stafford Borough Council approved the plans for the club to move from Newport Road, Castlefields to Blackberry Lane, near Doxey Marshes.

But residents vehemently against the proposal requested the Department for Communities and Local Government intervene.

The council has received a letter from the DCLG stating the matter should be 'determined by the local authority'.

Karen Partridge, planning manager, said in the letter: "The Secretary of State has carefully considered this case against call-in policy, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement by Nick Boles on 26 October 2012. The policy makes it clear that the power to call in a case will only be used very selectively.

"The Government is committed to give more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues, and believes planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible.

"In deciding whether to call in this application, the Secretary of State has considered his policy on calling in planning applications.

"This policy gives examples of the types of issues which may lead him to conclude, in his opinion that the application should be called in.

"The Secretary of State has decided, having had regard to this policy, not to call in this application. He is content that it should be determined by the local planning authority."