A report has recommended councillors approve the construction of more than 500 homes on land in Lichfield.

Persimmon Homes and St Modwen Developments hope to create the new housing at Cricket Lane alongside “employment floorspace”.

The land at Cricket Lane. Picture: Google Streetview
The land at Cricket Lane. Picture: Google Streetview

Objections had been raised by Lichfield City Council on a number of grounds, including access to the site, traffic levels on local roads and impact on local services such as schools.

The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust also objected over the impact on its work, while letters from residents living nearby also raised concerns over the plan.

But a report to be debated at Lichfield District Council’s planning committee has recommended the scheme – which would see 520 homes built – be given the green light.

“With regard to transport and highway matters, adequate information and detail has been included to demonstrate that sustainable travel choices can be integrated within the development.

“Acceptable details have been provided with regard to the three vehicular access points to ensure that the development can be safely and appropriately accessed, without undue harm to either the character or appearance of the area, existing or future residents or highway and pedestrian safety.

“Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the development will have an acceptable impact upon the strategic highway network.

“In terms of the development’s impact upon the delivery of the, to be restored Lichfield Canal, it is considered that the proposal is in conformity with the requirements of the development plan, subject to conditions, in that it will ensure integration of such within the development’s green infrastructure.

“Given the assessment and the weight attributable to the delivery of residential led development, it is recommended that this application is in conformity with the development plan as a whole and no other material considerations are sufficient to outweigh the acceptability of this development, so as to warrant the refusal of the application.”

Planning report

The report will be debated by the planning committee on 8th March.

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Flossy
3 years ago

In a word NO

Over Development
3 years ago

Given all the evidence against this development I cant believe the council are recommending its approval.

A very sad day if this gets approved.

steve hiatt
3 years ago

Everybody wants a house and home, no one wants any built, or maybe just NIMBY, unless you want your kids to live with you till you turn your toes up you better support the building….

Lichvegas
3 years ago

If the council reject this application, I expect the developers to appeal to the secretary of state who will then overrule the council. The Tory majority on LDC won’t speak a word against their overlords in Westminster who are happy for our local environment to be destroyed in the name of profit. Local democracy in action.

‘Sustainable travel choices’? What does this mean? New bus route? A tram? Connections to the railway line? Nah, it’ll just be another development of ‘executive’ homes with 2 cars apiece on their driveways.

Philip
3 years ago

“Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the development will have an acceptable impact upon the strategic highway network.”
Are these people living in a parallel universe? They supply the reports, be it pollution, infrastructure, amenities etc. etc.
This is just corporate talk for an excuse to further exacerbate the on going over development of the city. Its called urban sprawl. They produce the reports! Amazingly they always have an “acceptable impact”.
There is so much more to be said but what’s the point? So sad for Lichfield it is being let down by those elected to protect it.

John Griffin
3 years ago

Check out who Persimmon and St Modwen have donated money to and then say which way the appeal to government would go.

Alastair Boyle
3 years ago

At the moment this Southern approach to the city once you have left the A38 is largely green with farmers fields at both sides of London Rd, on the right Borrowcop rises to the North, and to the West Knowle hill sits majestically framing the journey into Lichfield alogside Cromwell’s meadow where the Parliamentarians sequestered their forces whilst laying seige to Prince Ruperts men holed up in the Cathedral close. What is proposed adds a ‘Logistical’ flavour; of turning Juggernauts setting out on their 24 hour delivery turnarounds and 18 metre blank sided warehouses rising to block the view described above. What’s Industrial about Southern Lichfield, well we’re about to find out.

Norman Ashley
3 years ago

Nothing to do with mass immigration???

Barry Scott
3 years ago

It is time for the council to display some back bone and look seriously at what effect this obsession with approving such developments is having on our city and surrounding area. We always seem to hear from the familiar faces within the council on these developments. Why are so many councillors, particularly the younger ones from the majority Conservative group, always so quiet on these issues. Having recently adopted a watching brief on social media I can see many of them are extremely happy to talk about their love of a particular football team, or spout off on issues to do with other countries half way around the world, but there seems very little local angle to their outpourings of drivel. They are elected to represent the Ldc area and yet seem consistently silent on most local issues. The last 12 months alone has proved our party really requires the next generation of elected representative to step up and prove their worth. I am always hearing how much more interested these councillors are about community, about the environment, about supporting local businesses and people to better themselves, so where is the evidence of this?

Philip
3 years ago

@steve hiatt. Thats a common argument used Steve but it doesn’t amount to reality. For all the talk few houses are built in Lichfield that are affordable to first time buyers. Further, the warehouses won’t employ many and there is no school or local amenities. Yes there is a “NIMBY” element but who doesn’t resent the over developments we are seeing these days? People of means can always vote with their feet and move on, but where does that leave us? All cities have different districts. Urban sprawl is ugly. Take a trip around the over spill that is Tamworth. Is that the fate of Lichfield?

John Allen
3 years ago

Business as usual, council ignoring the views of people they are supposed to represent.

Keely Taylor
3 years ago

This makes me want to cry . The only thing that has kept me going for the last 12 months is making the most of nature . The devastation of HS2 is too much to bear , please no more .

John Griffin
3 years ago

No Norman Ashley, nothing to do with the myth of mass immigration but everything to do with deregulation, acquisition of land, massive profits etc etc. 8

Glyn Brookes
3 years ago

We all now that more housing is needed but it seems they are not thinking of the Infrastructure that is also needed, schools are bursting at the moment, doctors appointments are difficult to get.

Laura
3 years ago

Any chance of a new doctors surgery with all these hundreds of houses they’re building around Lichfield? I struggle to get an appointment now, I dread to think what it’ll be like with hundreds/thousands of new homes and people.

Kitty
3 years ago

I despair.
What do the Cllrs see as their long term vision for Lichfield? I expect they’ll be long-gone from the council when this estate is built. Can the existing schools cater for this?
The traffic systems…what about our local heritage and sense of history which is, after all, Lichfield’s USP.
It’s all about the filthy lucre, I can’t see any other merit. This is historic land, I really hope some thoughtful independents (not conspiracy theorists but more like Cllr Grange would work for me) stand at next elections, Lichfield really deserves better. I should add, this estate is Lichfield, I’m not ignoring Burntwood…it deserves better, too.
We need creative thought for a post covid world for goodness sake.

Kerry Ball
3 years ago

Very sad.Lichfield has now become a concrete jungle with the centre now just full of flats the outlook is totally spoiled.Its all about money and profits.And also the surrounding area housing is now all merging into one,what happened to green belts laws.lol

Cromwell
3 years ago

Persimmon to St Modwen our pleasant and green land. Old face must be to comment on urban sprawl in referral of TAMWORTH. Worry more the farms that separate town and city will soon be connected. Can not Cromwell on how many years.

Sarah F
3 years ago

Just appalled that we might lose more green belt. I can’t believe how much new housing has gone up in recent years yet the town centre and other amenities/facilities haven’t changed. I am sad to see what is happening to Lichfield but feel powerless to change anything. Just very sad to see.

Ray Share
3 years ago

the development of the land off cricket lane is very natural and should have been done years ago just make sure they are affordable homes keep building inside the ring roads it brings in lots of revenue

John
3 years ago

Let’s make sure we are pointing the finger of blame at the right people here, LDC haven’t approved anything as far as I can tell. It is the un-named writers of the report who are proposing this development. If, as I hope, planning permission is not granted, lets watch and see if the Sec of State overturns the decision, like last time at Curborough Hall Farm, off Watery Lane. It is about time they developed the various brownfield sites and leave our greenspaces alone!

Trevor Baker
3 years ago

What about increased medical facilities? 520 houses at Cricket Lane, 450 south of Shortbutts Lane, 450 Deanslade Farm area. No mention of more doctors surgeries.
It is said the Westgate Practice have over 30,000 patients registered. How can they be expected to cope?
Our councillors are useless at best. Not worth voting for!

Michel Souris
3 years ago

It is interesting that the City Council have objected to the development and many City Councillors sit on the District Council. Will they be consistent in their voting or will they change their view when the District Council votes? In terms of the electorate, they can say they voted against the proposal! Facing two ways at once, maybe??

Pete B
3 years ago

These schemes need to include additional facilities such as schools, surgeries, leisure facilities etc. Does this one do that? If not, fight against it.

Janette Horton
3 years ago

Knowle Hill is very precious!
In 1991/2 items believed to be Bronze Age were found in this area. Most were dispersed but a gold making anvil, a rare adze and a socketed axe are in the collection of the British Museum. Take a look yourself at http://www.britishmuseum.org and tab in “Knowle Hill Bronze Age” and you should find them! There is also:
“An Archaeological Desk Based Assessment of Land behind London Road grid ref SK 117 076” written and researched by Archeologists Wragg and Pooley 2009 which is lodged with Staffordshire County Council..but has been basically ignored at planning. SHAME ON LDC!!

Ade
3 years ago

Lichfield council seem intent on ruining this once pleasent City, all these building projects without the people wanting them, 150 quid council tax gets you nothing in fact you have to pay extra for the one service you do get which is the bins.

Ade
3 years ago

Who are the people making these decisions are we allowed names or are they hiding tjeir identity, they have already sold many people out over Hs2.

TaffTom
3 years ago

If this obsessive housing development madness carries on, Lichfield will soon be a suburb of Birmingham with no distinguishable identity whatsoever. This proposal has got nothing to do with the provision of affordable housing and the improvement of this historic city and everything to do with the profit and loss accounts of Persimmon and St Modwen who have the power and influence, just like their HS2 counterparts, to be the class bullies and ride roughshod over us all…the appalingly sad thing is they’ve got the teachers on their side. Somehow the bullies need to be stopped and the teachers replaced with intelligent, honourable people who care for the City of Lichfield, it’s history and the environment as a whole. Get a grip LDC before it’s too late.

Pete
3 years ago

Any doctors surgery, I doubt it
Any youth clubs I doubt it
Any business premises I doubt it
Quality homes I doubt it
Who benefits from this farce THE BUILDERS

Ade
3 years ago

Name and shame these morons.

Norman Ashley
3 years ago

No John Griffin, Mass immigration isn’t a myth. Roughly 60 to 66 million population! Where is the myth in this? 6 million more houses built, maybe Lichfield would not have to build so many if it wasn’t for such mass immigration! But I agree greed and corruption is to blame as well.

TheDan
3 years ago

Three quarters of a million empty houses in the UK. Yet we’re obsessed with building more as nobody wants to confront the issue of property hoarding and the rise of buy-to-let cowboys.

It’s easier to just accept payouts from construction firms as it looks good to artificially inflate the countries GDP.

Steve
3 years ago

Staffordshire County Council declare a climate emergency.

https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2020/10/22/climate-change-action-plan-agreed-by-county-councillors/

“We have to put climate change at the centre of our day-to-day thinking, so it permeates everything we do as a county council.

Cllr Julia Jessel, Staffordshire County Council

Yet, LDC approve every plan, to destroy green spaces.

Denise Clarke
3 years ago

Trevor Baker… The housing that you specify amounts to 1420 homes…
Please add on the 850 homes proposed for Mile Oak, Tamworth (yes Phillip…part of Tamworth ALREADY IS part of Lichfield DC!)…to be built on greenbelt land by Bloor Homes… (of couse declassified as being greenbelt by Lichfield DC to make way for the housing!)
I make that 2270 homes!!
I, like so many people above, am absolutely fuming about this total bullying, steam rolling..call it whatever..by Lichfield DC…
It’s simply not on!
You are taking the pee…
All of the above comments about Cricket Lane echo exactly the same comments (& many, many more) about Mile Oak..and no doubt other developments too…and if you watch/listen to the meeting on 8th March I’ll GUARANTEE that it’s approved..
So much for democracy and representing the local community…

Roy Appleby
3 years ago

LDC haven’t approved anything yet. What I would like to see is the elected representatives to do the bidding of their constituents. If the overwhelming feeling is to reject it, then do it. If they appeal reject it again. Fight it to the end. Enough is enough!! Do not give in!!

Elizabeth Tyler
3 years ago

Bronze Age Artefacts from Knowle Hill are in the British Museum.
Are there any archeological digs being carried out to check they are not destroying any precious history? One the houses are built on it we will never know!
😡😡😡

Scott
3 years ago

This “Let’s build on fields and slowly destroy the countryside” madness that has been going on for years under different governments has got to stop! The biggest losers are nature and wildlife while the biggest winners are the wealthy, greedy and ruthless building companies. Nothing is ever said or done about the over population of the UK as if all the decision makers are burying their heads in the sand and hoping that everything will be okay by concreting over the country with new housing estates, roads and by-passes etc. The awful reality is that the UK is fast becoming the most over crowded country in the world by area and population with nothing being done about it.

GFI
3 years ago

So in a world that will inevitably face more pandemics in the future , Lichfield council decides it’s a good idea to cram more and more people in ,on top of each other ,great idea ..time to rid ourselves of these political party driven councils and took a more common sense aproach .

M.P.
3 years ago

Here we go again people moaning about Ldc councillors but where are they when there is an election.if you don’t like the way things are done do something about and stand as an Independent councillor.

Ron
3 years ago

Lichfield is slowly turning into yet another overbuilt eyesore. It was unique. It had a community feel. But after all these developments that are going ahead, it’s going to look just like everywhere else. And that is NOT why people choose to live here.
There are enough empty houses that could be used and brown belt areas that can be built on.
So why does Lichfield have to succumb to the hideous flat pack houses built by At Modern and gang?
Enough is enough!

Ian Berry
3 years ago

“Affordable housing “yeah I bet, with so many losing their jobs rising debt and industry destroyed by the pandemic .will these properties be for first time buyers I doubt it. And why is it the genuine need for new council housing is never mentioned?

TaffTom
3 years ago

M.P….re your comment about those of us ” moaning “, as you say, about LDC councillors…what the majority of contributors here are trying to do is highlight the despicable land grabbing and environmental destruction that will affect us and our children forever. Regardless of who voted for who, elected councillors of every political persuasion have a moral and professional duty to undertake the will of the people and need to be brought to account and listen to our “concerns” which you seem to mistake for moans. Yes, we can at a later date vote out those who have not served the community in the right way but for the moment we have to deal with the here and now and challenge those who ARE empowered to make decisions on our behalf. Trouble is , when we think we’ve voted in the people we hope are going to represent us, sadly we find out later that they only represent themselves. However, the majority of the comments submitted show the seriousness and depth of feeling there is on this debate so we have to try and bring our hypocritical representatives to account to put a stop to this proposed development. As for our children having to “live with us until our toes curl up”….hands up all those children who can afford to buy at the moment ? Thought so.

Derek L
3 years ago

Another load of rubbish to be dumped on Lichfield.
Words fail me.

Alastair Boyle
3 years ago

Lichfield City, and Wall before it, are at the crossroads of England. We shouldn’t be surprised our City & District Councillors are convinced that Lichfield’s future lies with ‘Logistics’ and the provision of 18 metre high warehouses with the new roads to service them, a priority. As the new inland container port at Gailey on the A5 comes on stream in the next few years our community will have a fight on it’s hands not to be subsumed into a road based trucking hell.

Jacqueline & Colin Ridgway.
3 years ago

New Housing Developments are being built all around LIchfield, in the City Centre Apartments are being created from existing buildings and new developments. However nobody points out the increased revenue LDC gets from all these new Properties whilst the Services we get diminish by the year and the Rates go up every year!. What happens to this extra revenue?. Perhaps it goes on councillors expences and Wage Rises for the Chief Executive etc. Perhaps we should be told!.

Clare Sholl
3 years ago

I am as concerned as most people about the way our countryside is being concreted over, but it is simply factually incorrect to single out so-called ‘mass immigration’ as the cause: there are a whole host of other factors involved in our housing shortage. The number of empty properties is clearly one – and that includes the luxury end of the market where, thanks in large part to Boris Johnson as mayor of London, super-rich foreign investors were encouraged to buy up property in the UK and leave it standing empty. Add to that the number of second homes and holiday homes owned by those fortunate enough to be able to afford them. Our own MP has an entire estate in Wales!

Then there are the number of ‘broken’ families, often resulting in two properties being lived in by a former couple and their children. And how many single or two person households occupy three, four or five bedroom properties? Housing policy does nothing to encourage developers to reserve ‘family’ homes for families with children or to encourage existing householders to downsize. Fancy new-build estates on our precious greenbelt land often satisfy greed rather than real need, while those at the bottom of the pile are left in cramped rented accommodation.

I have been an immigrant myself, having lived in four other European countries, and know from my own experience that often ‘immigrants’ means students living in bedsits or casual workers living in caravans or lodging in an employer’s house. As far as I am concerned, if foreigners are prepared to come here and nurse our sick, care for our elderly, pick our fruit and veg or pay our extortionate university fees, then they deserve a roof over their heads.

It amazes me how many Brits think they can blame foreigners for daring to come here and supposedly cause a housing crisis, while the same people happily travel themselves without considering the impact the tourism industry has on housing both here and abroad. In some European cities, locals have been priced out by the tourists.

And as far as population growth is concerned, let’s not forget that people are living longer and British people have babies too!

If we really want to address the housing situation, we need to tackle the problem of empty properties and match supply with actual need. Perhaps LDC could take these suggestions on board before our countryside disappears forever.

Philip
3 years ago

Strongly held views on this very controversial development, but nothing from our Mayor whose area she represents. Neither from our M. P. who represents the constituency. Perhaps even Lichfield Live might express some journalistic opinion. This is the real world. This housing crop will be the last that green field ever sees. You wanted position and responsibility. Tell us your thoughts !

SB
3 years ago

What is the big deal over this field?

It’s boundary on three of its four sides are busy roads – including two major roads. For society to move on we need to build new housing.

My problem isn’t with the location – it is after all on the edge of existing housing – but with the lack of new schools / health care etc that is desperately needed.

Our council love all the extra council tax but provide very little value for money to its resisdents.

RMN
3 years ago

The concerns expressed here about these development proposals by many residents of Lichfield are clearly very sincere, but sadly at this stage they must likely be regarded as little more than hot air. The development of this site has been envisaged since at least 2016, when it featured prominently in the proposed Lichfield City Neighbourhood Plan for 2016 – 2029 for which there was lots of preparatory activity throughout 2015. The endeavour to impact the suggested use for the site really needed to have had focus at that stage. What is happening now is nothing less than the mechanics to bring what is an established “Neighbourhood Plan” to fruition. As is so often the case, local excitement only reaches a crescendo when the immediacy of land use change is about to be a fait accompli rather than at its embryonic stage.

Philip
3 years ago

@RMN…. When, about that time, I went to the council office in Frog Lane and asked to see a copy of the “Neighbourhood Plan” the person on receptoin did not know where it was. On inquire it was thought to be in a locked draw. It took a while to find a key. The copy was not bound and ran to well over a hundred pages. Navigating through the document was difficult; even with my experience of having been a company secretary. I was not allowed to take the document out of the building so sat in the foyer for over an hour. I left not much wiser than I went in.
This was not a Plain English document. I do not think it was intended to be. Your argument is valid but illustrates just how easy you can deceive by seemingly giving out corporate information.