Farmland wrong place for new homes, objectors say

People objecting to plans for 230 new homes on the green belt in Staffordshire have said it is wrong to target "productive farmland".

Permission is being sought for the development on a plot north of Fisherwick Road, to the east of Whittington, near Lichfield.

The application described it as a "sustainable location" and said it would address a lack of housing in the area.

Objectors, however, have complained it would add to already under-pressure local services.

"I live in this village and feel that this development is in the wrong location," one resident complained.

"The amount of traffic that this development will produce will have major impact on the roads within the village.

"The hump back bridge going to this development will surely not be able to handle all this additional traffic.

"The traffic is already dangerous within the village, with a number of accidents occurring at [the cross roads]."

Philip Sharpe, commenting on behalf of the Inland Waterways Association, said the land was part of the green belt and lay outside the designated village boundary.

"Being productive farmland, it should not be classed as grey belt, and therefore, exceptional circumstances should be needed to justify development on this scale," he stated.

Plans for the 10.6-hectare (26.2-acre) site include public open space, with 43% of the homes earmarked for affordable housing.

If plans were to be approved by Lichfield District Council, a further application covering details such as housing design and layout would come forward at a later date.

The development would bring about enhancements to biodiversity, infrastructure as well as health and wellbeing, the developers said, adding that it would also improve connectivity in the area.

They added that there would be "significant amounts of public open space" and play areas.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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