Lichfield District Council has been told more new housing is needed.
The comments came from Planning Inspector Bob Yuille who indicated that a further 900 properties would be needed by 2028 on top of the 8,700 included in the local authority’s Local Plan.
The council have been given six months to identify possible locations for the homes.
The Local Plan has already suggested:
- 450 homes south of Lichfield
- 750 homes east of Lichfield (north of Streethay)
- 1,000 homes in Fradley
- 375 homes on Land East of the Burntwood bypass
- 1,125 homes east of Rugeley
- 1,000 homes North of Tamworth
- 320 homes between rural settlements of Alrewas, Armitage, Fazeley, Shenstone and Whittington
Cllr Ian Pritchard, Cabinet Member for Development Services, said: “In relation to housing locations and numbers, the inspector confirmed we have identified the best sites, but that we need to incorporate more homes in our plan before it can be judged as sound overall.
“With regards to housing numbers, the inspector has indicated that we need to make sure at least a further 900 homes are included in our plan between now and 2028.
“He has given us around six months to carry out this work, which will involve identifying potential housing sites, consulting again with local people and organisations and updating the plan to reflect the new homes.”
The Inspector told the council that other areas of the plan – including working well with neighbouring councils when drawing up the document – were sound.
He will report his findings on issues such as biodiversity, renewable energy and employment in the coming months.
“Today’s report represents years of hard work by our teams, a huge amount of community involvement, and contributions from partners, developers and more, and is a great step forward,” added Cllr Pritchard.
“On behalf of the council and the development team I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the development of the plan so far.
“We’ll make further announcements in the coming months about how people can contribute to the next stage of the plan’s development.”
Stop bigging yourselves up for the hard work you’ve put in and build those houses now. We need houses to live in now for 1st time families and bigger properties for growing families who are stuck in tiny box houses.
All you have done to date is identify sites which is a kid’s job. Start building now and stop putting own lives on hold.
What a useless bunch LCD and it’s planning committee are. We have house builders waiting on the wings to build the houses we Need now. The longer you take the more us locals move away from this area and most likely never return.
“All you have done to date is identify sites which is a kid’s job.”
So build and keep building, let’s see something for it if and when we come out of this recession.
John I am unsure if you are supporting or against my post. I am not saying that we should building just for the sake of it. There are many issues we have to consider such as not to build on green belts.
A development of about 750 to a 1000 home sometime this year or at most early next year will be very much welcome. The last time we build any large scale development within the Lichfield area was over 4 year ago.
I think a 1000 new homes will do for now.
Trying again to post, posts not coming up.
@Fradley guy
I say if it has approval build while there is time. Who knows what the next government may come up with?
Totally agree John.
The Rugeley develop is way out for people who live in Lichfield. We need houses build either on the outskirts Lichfiel, Streethay or fradley.
Give planning permission to build not and stop dragging your chins.
Lichfield has already doubled in size since I was a lad – if we carry on at this rate there’ll be no green space between towns. What we actually need is a sane population policy for England (and I mean England).
so if you don’t want them on green belt and its a kids job to identify sites, where do you propose that these extra houses go ?
Brown field and i mean TRULY brown field not for example a green field that was once upon a time 20 yrs ago used to store pit spoil but is now restored farm fields, are extremely difficult to find that are right for development.
new houses are always nice, nice for the new occupants and nice for the builders. Back in the day I used to do house bashing. Not evryones cup of tea wiring up empty houses but i found it quite satisfying. No furniture to damage, no carpets to pull up, no mess to worry about.
anyway I digress as usual, yes very hard to find a suitable site where you won’t upset the whole town.
I must say though that that crescent they built a few years back is beautiful, one of the nicest new builds I’ve ever seen.
Ashleigh Coleridge thats what you get from building on green belt. you’ll be joined to Tamworth soon. You have to remember that not only is your town expanding but the surrounding towns are. although Lichfield certainly hasn’t doubled, its less than a 25% increase. Lichfield is still small, its only about twice the size of Atherstone, a third the size of Tamworth. It has always amazed me how a city with two stations, and such an extensive system of bypasses and main road is so small and compact. Its rather cute and tidy really. I like Lichfield rather a lot.
It would be very nice if some of this prime building land was set a side for council type houses and not to be sold, in preference to houses for investment purposes.
don’t be silly John, thats never going to happen, that would be investing in the future of the common people and would never do. It has to be about profit and business John If its not fat cats getting fatter its not worth doing.
“don’t be silly John, thats never going to happen”
This is why I would rather eat grass first before I ever voted Tory, they keep getting in though don’t they, and we the underlings keep putting up with it.
Are you a member of a Trade Union? If not, why not?
Workers unite, it is too big on your own to fight.
“Are you a member of a Trade Union? If not, why not?”
I recall when they did a good job and were needed by the plebs – but then they started to strike over the color of the tea etc .You will see how many are in the union freely by how many pay into the Labour pot once they have a choice – even the union seem to be saying only 10 per cent will pay labour!
It is not a shortage of houses it is too many people .
” even the union seem to be saying only 10 per cent will pay labour!”
Why pay any political party? Political parties should be paying into unions and be grateful to do so. The balance will change when the rank and file get themselves organised, we the people have the real power, didn’t you know that? What do you think we have got a police force for, and a army if needed, forgot the miners strike have you.
“the people have the real power,” – “forgot the miners strike have you.”
I thought Maggie showed she had the power – the miners lost.
We are more likely to see the workers realise they are paying too much tax to keep too many at home . More council/affordable homes means the workers will have to pay even more tax!
“I thought Maggie showed she had the power – the miners lost.”
Now you know why we have the police force and a army if needed.
“johnthemon” Are you now saying the people or the GOV have the power?
Cynic. The people have the real power when united, the governments have the police force and the army, and will use it just like Maggie did.
“Are you a member of a Trade Union? If not, why not?
Workers unite, it is too big on your own to fight.”
” when united,” They were during and after the war – then the unions asked for too much – the unions have had their day – just look at their (failing) numbers . This is now the finest country in the world for those who do not want to pull their weight and one of the worst for those willing to work.
High tax punishes the workers and too much free everything encourages the stay at home. Example – how long to get deposit for a home if you both work and then a millstone for 30yrs – or stay at home do nothing and get a free home.
ye maggie made a mistake there running down our mines, privatising the energy industry and falling for all this global warming nonsense. running down your own countries basic infrastructure and selling it off to companies from other countries never promotes growth, its always detrimental to a countries growth. Yet just today we get the announcement that they’re selling off the post office. Last week it was the NHS.
I can’t be part of a trade union. I got made redundant in January, thanks to this government and famous national parcel company that claims to be employer of the year. 8 months and one phone call is all I’ve got from hundreds of applications. All those qualification and training are worthless now because the last government which was and is useless too bought in part P which stopped me doing electrical work. All those years experience count for nothing no matter what trade union your in I’m afraid. Unions are powerless now.
anyway I’m caring for my 84 yr old mum now on not much more than dole but at least i don’t have to sign on. I’m still looking for part time work.
Maggie fell for this global warming nonsense?
Seriously?
may not have been under global warming but that was the death of the home coal fire because they bought in new pollution controls.
You can’t beat a coal fire. There’s nothing nicer than sitting in front of a real fire on a cold winter night with a good book and a nice drink. Sadly I live in a modern shoebox so I don’t even have a chimney flue but I can dream!
Guys/ladies,
Let’s go back to the real discussion here. Who cares at what colour bums sit at Westminster? Building homes is down to local councils now. Brown fields have already been identified in the useless local development plan. The land at fradley is already available and the locals have not objected so what is stopping them to build there.
The land at shorbutts has also been dragging for long time. Again the locals have not objected.
A 25% increase is not a lot. Even if the size of Lichfield was to double we should still build. If we don’t where will our kids live. I will promote closer family ties than worry about the size of Lichfield. Our children are having to move away from the area as because of shortage of houses.
We are forced to live in over crowded homes because there are not many big homes to buy for growing families.
I appreciatetthe environment concerns but priority should be givenfor better family llife and the chance for a closer family tie.
But where are you going to build ? A 25% increase is more than one field at shortbutts. I’m not against any development what so ever, I do think it needs to be done carefully and in the right place. I do think accommodation should be spacious, with a good sized garden, and green spaces on the estates. I don’t care much for the governments minimum density. A garden the size of a postage stamp is no good for kids and neither is a park half a mile away. I’d ban ALL back garden infill developments. If you can’t afford to live their then move, don’t sell the garden off to make money.
Council should be building new homes but they get so little land and so little cash to do it. I seen an article yesterday that Brighton had built some new council housing. ….
Brighton & Hove City Council has unveiled its first new housing for over 20 years.
Balchin Court, developed on the site of an outdated sheltered housing scheme in Wellington Road, features 15 new affordable homes, comprising:
• Three four-bed family houses with gardens.
• Two fully wheelchair accessible flats with gardens, a two-bed and a one-bed.
• Five one-bed flats and five two-bed flats.
All the homes are owned and managed by the council, which contributed land and money to the project. Additional funding was provided by the Homes & Community Agency.
Housing demand massively outstrips supply in the city, with 17,000 applicants on the waiting list.
……
17,000 thousand applicants, where have they all come from. This development takes 15 people off the list. its a drop in the ocean,. You’ll never ever satisfy demand and we should never try to satisfy such demand because if we did Lichfield would join Tamworth 3.5 miles, Tamworth would join Polesworth less than 0.5 miles. Polesworth already joins Dordon and Dordon joins Grendon. Grendon to Atherstone 0.8 miles, Atherstone to Nuneaton 0.8 miles. Look at a map and zoom in to the very edges of towns and see how close they are to each other.
Actually Lichfield is very lucky, it has a large amount of green belt. Don’t give developers a free hand to use it ALL up . Be sensible.
“I appreciatetthe environment concerns but priority should be givenfor better family llife ” NO NO NO – think about it – new homes fill up with more people that in turn want more homes and so on – it is like a pyramid – it has to stop. Families are for a few years the environment is forever and MUST come first.
Just because dad has a Rolls does not mean the kids have to have the same car.
Tell them to move on and get a life of their own. The next thing we will hear is they have to be low cost because there are no jobs to pay for all the houses.
Alternatively go where there is plenty of land – they are virtually concreting over the south east – do we want that type of problem here – I don’t.
There are plenty of homes for sale in the paper – buy those before we build new.
“The next thing we will hear is they have to be low cost because there are no jobs to pay for all the houses.”
Yes prefabs and shanty towns would do fine, as long as dad can ride around in his Rolls and others can make a profit out of those in need, this is the Tory way of things.
A closer family tie will contribute to future generation brought up well and law abiding. If our kids move away how will theyget tthat family support to help bring up their kids properly? With how the economy is now both parents work just to survive and how can they bring up their kids properly with the busy demand of a working life?
The upbringing of their kids will be affected some a bigger chance of going off the rail and turning to drugs and life of crime. Which all of us in the whole of UK pay for in the long run.
I am by no means saying build, build and continue building. But we are in desperate need of housing. Start by giving our kids the opportunity in this year or early next year somewhere to live. A 1000 homes in fradley, shortbutt and Streethay will make a massive difference and fill in the shortage hole we find ourselves in.
Once completed we can then look at other suitable places to buy may 750 in couple of year time. We need to act now.
Controlling population growth should be a government policy but at local level we should deal witht he currentsit uationwe are faced with and that’s we are in desperate need of housing. Private, social housing and council housing.
I repeat driving our young ones to seek elsewhere to live is a big drain to our local community and the loss of closer family ties
“Controlling population growth should be a government policy ”
I can see your point in your above post and it is nice to see what appears to be a close knit family – BUT – it is all of us that have to control our environment – not someone else.It is a merry go round – more dependants =more tax – more subsidized home = more tax – more building = more flooding and shortage of water/food/infrastructure etc -the more tax in effect cause lower wages we have to stop some where.
I realize some will think it is a few like me saying act now – but soon it will be too late. On the other hand recently we have seen a council offer houses for a pound with so few interested that had to weaken the rules to try and get more apply – I see according to 2012 data west mid have tens of thousands of homes empty and even in Lichfield we see flats etc that have been empty for some time.
I can see we have to agree to disagree but I do wish you and yours good luck.
Talking of shanty towns, did you know that slough sent drones up to do thermal imaging to find out locations of shanty homes in back gardens that weren’t paying any council tax. They say there are tens of thousands of people living in back garden ‘sheds’, some are fitted out as flats with kitchens and bedrooms. Then there are the farms in lincolnshire, all their outbuildings.
17 thousand on a waiting list. A thousand houses is nothing and will do next to nothing. There’s not even a guarantee that lichfield people will get them. Sorry to be negative about it but its reality. Populations need to be controlled as does immigration.
I wouldn’t be building on Streethay, I’d stick to Falklands Road, and opposite on Walsall Road Leamonsley. Opposite beacon park. You could build on the Golf Course !
Do you realise the huge amount of land a thousand houses takes ?
Things are getting worse in the NHS by the day.
The local secure unit clearly ran out of meds. Please send help.
Bob
Yes I do know the amount of land required for 1000. There is land at fradley already planned for 1000 homes. Another near Alrewas and fradley arms.
Population and immigration control is centre government policy. What should we do at local level? Not build at all?
1000 shoe boxes more like.
I don’t know what we should do. I know its hard to believe but I don’t have the answer for everything. I do think though that we should build a modest amount and choose very carefully where we put them rather than putting them anywhere and everywhere trying to satisfy central governments demands. Until they control population and immigration we should dance their dance.
I totally agree with shoe boxes. I live in one of those very poorly built. I have recent workdone – tiling, new bath and shower and you wouldn’t believe the poor quality job we revealed.
We should force them to build better and sizeable rooms and storage. I have no storage in my property.
I know it is a tough one but we have to build some houses now. How we hope about doing so and forcing the builders at local level to build better houses is another matter.
“How we hope about doing so and forcing the builders at local level to build better houses is another matter.”
Actually it is quite simple – don’t buy something you do not like.
This is an example of what I was saying in another post – the Gov say they can build smaller homes and people just buy them. Decide what is best for you and the builders will do as you say.
We were looking at a “show house” for a friend – they had taken the kitchen door off and standing where the door should be I could touch the three walls.
The lounge was so small my wife said we would have to put the TV outside!
In the bed room was a strange built in item – it was floor to ceiling and 9 inch wide and deep – we could not work it out and asked the sales person – “it is the wardrobe” came the reply – apparently you have to fold the coat hanger in half! As we use up the dwindling amount of space we will be taking lessons from some backward countries (we are already using heat seeking camera’s) on where to fit in all those extra people. Only when the shortage ,of land etc ,affects the majority will action be taken and by that time it will be too late.
Further to above – some councils are using camera’s to see if people are living in garages etc – you do not have to look far – many in Lichfield use their garage and gardens for other things including living space which we prefer to use codes such as “in fill”.
Before we worry about where to put more houses, perhaps we should be worried about where the infrastructure needed to support all these new homes is going to come from. Lichfield already has a shortage of primary school places, since a new primary school wasn’t built when the Walsall Road development went ahead, and last time I needed an appointment to see a GP I waited three days as they were so busy. So while I’m all for new houses, someone really needs to stop and take a look at the bigger picture!
I moved here 11 years ago and Lichfield is beginning to lose its appeal to me the bigger it gets. Living on a relatively small housing development I am also acutely aware of the problems they bring. 5 bedroom houses being built with a drive big enough for 1 car therefore residents are parking on the pavements and double parking, anti social behaviour and after 7 years the development is still unadopted with the developers and council at loggerheads. There are a lot of new build houses currently on the market that are not selling. Therefore where is the case for more homes?
More cases for more and better homes since the ones built in the last 10 years are terrible. We only have Lichfield DistrictcCouncil planning committee and the whole of the council to blame for that.
They gave planning permission for what was an acceptable design but didn’t not follow them throughb bbecause they are too lazy to do so.
Greedy profit builders will squeeze and cut corners when no oneis arou ndto nmake sure that the property and design are followed through
Some great points made there.
Last time I booked a doctors appointment I had to wait ten days to see my doctor. I could go to open surgery but i’d not see my doctor. Therefore I doubt they’ll class you as needing another surgery in Lichfield.
The problem is that when you’re suddenly homeless and find yourself in private rented, wasting 650 a month on a shoe box and no way of getting a council or association place at a sensible rent then buying a shoe box seems a less wasteful alternative. You may as well own the shoe box than pay someone else even more than a mortgage to live in the same shoe box. I consider myself very lucky to have a cheap council flat to rent. I’d love to buy but that’s not an option when you’re a carer. The Girlfriend on the other hand is moving in with her parents and saving the money towards a deposit on a shoe box. Hopefully one day we’ll buy a decent sized house
Citing past mistakes should not deter us for the obvious fact that our famil ies need decent and better houses to live. The council should make proposed health centres, primarily school, play grounds, etc are either built in line withhouses oit even before the first foundation of a new property is but down.
I repeat the point I made earlier that it is centre government job and policy thatshou ld tackle population add immigration growth but at local level we should deal with the mistakes we have been left with and accommodate our community with better and affordable homes to leave.
More houses equals to more revenue for the council should can use that extra revenue to expand the services it offers to its community.
We can go all data discussing mistakes made in the past, that those houses are on the market, lack of school and GPs, bad roads and a lot of other things.
Whilst we do there there are 000s of the residents of Lichfield living in over crowded houses, 30 or 40 years old still living with family members. Considering living the area altogether away from their families.
We have to build homes now! At the same time making sure that past mistakesare not repeated. The council can engage local people not only before planning permission is given but throughouttthe whole development stages.
The exhibitions that builders show us at our local centres fullof beaut iful drawings add layout and promise of high spec buildings for schools and so on is not enough. We should be part of the whole process from start to finish. Ensuring thatwhen the builders have asold their properties and in million of profits we are left with the rubbish they leavebe hind
Apologies for the misplaced of my words add spelling errors. I post using a touch phone with predictive texting. So my post. So appreciate that some of my sentence makes absolutely no sense. Haha
“even before the first foundation of a new property is but down.”
Most people like your idea of utopia – but who will pay?
Most of the “106” payments are wasted IMO .We can ask for more/higher but it will only come from the house buyer . Just look at your 1000 houses = 2000 kids – 1500 cars – etc – where will the money come from?
“I moved here 11 years ago and Lichfield is beginning to lose its appeal”
You should have seen/experienced it 50yrs ago – it had a village type atmosphere – the shops knew you by name – they could deliver your goods leave them on the step and they were still there later!!
Despite the police telling us crime is down now – it was quite nice to go out any night knowing you would have a quiet time at your chosen pub/restaurant.
Now so many are packed into a small space and we encourage every one to be equal ,even if that means bring all down to a level not up. The kids could play in an open space – now most play INSIDE shops and within a few inches of other people – hence the anti social increase.
Cynic I just accidentally voted you down and didn’t mean to. I totally agree with you!
I can’t help feeling that the more you build the more central government will do nothing though.
Pips – no problem but I wish the other one that gave a red mark would tell us which part he thinks is false.
I thought the debate was going so well with people putting their different points of view then we have a flurry of red marks without comment.
Pity they seem unable to compile a reply.
Cynic. Just ignore them. I am sure it’s just people passing through and have no interest to hold to move forward our local community.
I just hope that high management from Lichfield council are reading what is a very good debate we arehav ing here.
Appreciate we all have very different views nevertheless everyone who has posted here has made very good points that tthe council can learn from.