Di Evans

A councillor has warned a number of developers plotting to build on green belt land are only interested in profiting at the expense of people living in Burntwood.

Diane Evans
Diane Evans

Cllr Di Evans, leader of the Labour opposition group at Burntwood Town Council, made her comments as the inquiry began into the district’s Local Plan document – which will define where developments can take place.

There has been concern over the future of green belt land in the town and Cllr Evans, who also sits on Lichfield District Council, said it was essential land was protected where necessary.

“I’ve attended the session relating to Burntwood and was pleased to hear that the Coulter Lane and Highfield Road development sites have been withdrawn,” she said. “But I am still concerned about submissions being made by developers who are only interested in profiting at the expense of Burntwood residents.

“They are arguing to be able to build anywhere and everywhere, taking little or no account of the importance of preserving our precious green belt.”

Lichfield Labour councillor Colin Ball warned that a ‘David versus Goliath’ battle was emerging in a bid to keep land out of reach of the developers.

“At one of the sessions I’ve attended, there were a dozen or so developers and their teams putting the case to build willy nilly on the green belt,” he added. “But I feel that our planning team put up a very strong case, defending the Lichfield District Council position.

“It seemed to me to be a load of developer Goliaths up against David, although David was more than holding his own.

“I had the chance to make a statement, on behalf of the Labour groups on Lichfield District Council and Burntwood Town Council, supporting the district council’s position on the green belt.

“Let’s hope that the Inspector takes the same view – and helps preserve our green belt.”

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

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Don Palmer
5 years ago

Funny that developers want to build on the green belt while there is a large expensive black hole in the centre of Lichfield that developers do not want to build on???

Rob
5 years ago

And there I was thinking these developer activities were merely an act of benevolence.

Steve
5 years ago

This has been going on for so many years. I am not sure why it has only just been realised.

The precedent has been set by previous developments. Disagree with the developers, they will follow the expensive legal route.

They have been allowed to do what they want for so many years. It is too late to stop them now.

The council have to pick up the mess and distress that the developers leave behind when they “build communities”

Colin Ball
5 years ago

I was at 5 of these sessions on the Examination in Public of the Local Plan. I have to say that I was very impressed with the very strong case that the District Council Planning Team made against the developers to keep our green belt. I also had the opportunity to speak myself, in defence of the green belt at one session, on behalf of the Labour Councillors on Burntwood Town Council and Lichfield District Council. There was also a strong showing from Labour Party Members on Burntwood Town Council, as well as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group at the District Council, present at the session dealing with Burntwood. The Labour Group at Lichfield District Council and Burntwood Town Counci had also made written submissions to take keep some sites in Burntwood in the green belt and so protect them – and they were successful in achieving this. That’s the sort of commitment Labour Councillors give.

What was disappointing was that, apart from Tory Councillor Ian Pritchard, who was at one session that I attended, I didn’t see any other Tory Councillors that I recognised, either from Burntwood Town Council or Lichfield District Council, at any of the sessions that I was present at. It may be that there were some I don’t know or they were at one of the 4 or 5 sessions that I couldn’t get to because of other commitments! Maybe, if any Tory Councillors were there, they can post something here to let people know.

I do hope that anyone from Stowe Ward reading this will turn out and vote for Labour’s Don Palmer and Robyn Fawcett in the By-Election on 27th September. That way they can be sure of getting excellent local representation!

Colin Ball – Labour’s District and City Councillor for Curborough Ward.

Michel Souris
5 years ago

Perhaps you could find out and publish the official attendance figures for Tory Councillors at this inspection hearing or do we have to lodge a Freedom of Information Act request?

Philip Allso
5 years ago

Developers and their legal teams are insidious in pursuit of building land. The same old mantra is trotted out about affordable housing. This never happens and in reality can only happen on council house developments. I don’t think Lichfield has any of these at present. Builders do not have a conscience, they build and move on. Like all business the profit margins are the incentive and these are not in affordable houses. Once a greenfield is lost it opens the door to urban sprawl which it was meant to prevent. The council’s might blame government legislation but in reality there is more support for the business community than for the citizens. If they were really prepaired to make a stance they could make it very difficult for undesirable developments and try to maintain the integrity of a heritage city and the surrounding communities. We want controlled growth not a mushrooming of housing developments without the supporting infrastructure and the promises of public features that never materialise. There are plenty of examples that demonstrate that over development has undesirable consequences.