The next stage of a proposal to map out plans to build thousands of new homes in Lichfield and Burntwood for the next 20 years will be discussed by councillors next week.

Lichfield District Council House
Lichfield District Council House

Lichfield District Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve the submission of its new Local Plan at a meeting on 7th December.

The document – which outlines how much and where new housing will be built across the area – will then be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for public examination.

It will demonstrate how the district will meet its local housing need for 7,062 new homes for the period between 2018 and 2040.

The document also examines how the area can help neighbouring areas meet their own needs.

The so-called ‘Duty to Cooperate’ says it would be sustainable for 4,500 extra homes to built across Lichfield and Burntwood, but the Local Plan 2040 document argues that only 2,665 new properties are being proposed.

Cllr Iain Eadie, cabinet member for the Local Plan at Lichfield District Council, said refusing to build new homes was not an option:

Cllr Iain Eadie
Cllr Iain Eadie

“I know people look around the district and all they can see is development and a lack of infrastructure. This comes from the current Local Plan that is in place and how the council had to allow for growth. 

“This Local Plan review makes provision for growth in housing and commercial uses at levels and in places we believe the district can cope with and in line with our statutory duties. It aims to preserve the district’s assets and make sure growth is sustainable with the right balance of infrastructure.

“Unfortunately, there is not an option for refusing to allow new housing to come forward. 

“By submitting the plan now, we are ensuring Lichfield District is proactive in managing its residents’ housing and economic needs and protecting its key environmental assets.”

Cllr Iain Eadie, Lichfield District Council

If cabinet agrees, the Local Plan 2040 will be sent to the Planning Inspectorate and a public examination will follow.

12 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
D Sparing
2 years ago

Quote, ‘It aims to preserve the district’s assets and make sure growth is sustainable with the right balance of infrastructure.’ Really? How does the complete lack of any additional GP services and a heavily congested road system constitute the ‘right balance of infrastructure?’

Gary
2 years ago

Cllr Eadie, can you please explain here (assuming you care about what residents in the District think) why other areas like this are fighting the Government on this over-development and building on the countryside, whereas you and LDC are just rolling over and not defending this area?

https://westbridgfordwire.com/rushcliffe-countryside-at-risk-because-of-nottinghams-housing-shortfall-says-council-leader/

Also, why do we need a nearly 3,000 house buffer in this 2040 local plan? Shouldn’t we look to restrict the amount of green land that can be built on as much as possible? Other houses have a buffer of a few hundred houses, why are you so keen on allowing builders to concrete over our countryside everywhere? Also, why do we need to build so many houses to meet Birmingham’s need? Can’t we limit that as much as possible? There are plenty of sites in or around Birmingham I can think of where houses could be built before they start on Lichfield!

Answers please!

Gary
2 years ago

Apologies, where I say “Other houses have a buffer of a few hundred houses…” I mean “Other Councils”. I know this as a fact having read their local plans!

Elizabeth little
2 years ago

As a previous cabinet member who resigned mainly on this issue due to the damage this local plan will do too the heritage of our district. This policy forced through via inconsistent and changing reasoning by one cabinet member plan does take into account the climate emergency we recent pledged and I do not think we have pushed back enough on the numbers we have allocated from our neighbouring authorities, it is a duty to cooperate not to capitulate. I would encourage all the residents who are not in favour of this plan to contact there local councillor encouraging them to not support the plan in its current form.

Ian
2 years ago

Lichfield City will be destroyed as we know it, although it could be argued that it already has been.

Lichfield City does not need any additional housing. The green spaces are disappearing, green spaces are the lungs of a city/town. Residents need the space and parkland, not swathes of additional houses crammed in with almost no gardens and off road parking.

Dale
2 years ago

Cllr Eadie admits people look around the district and all they can see is development and a lack of infrastructure.

I fail to understand how building thousands of houses and no new infrastructure is going to improve people’s opinions.

John
2 years ago

If the council really wants to ‘Be a better Council’ it should start listening to its residents and this version of the Local plan should be scrapped!! Residents views have just been ignored and all the consultation exercises have been a total waste of time. Large scale green belt release at Mile Oak on the edge of Tamworth (in the “Forgotten Fazeley” ward) to allow 800 homes to be built in the countryside is absolutely scandalous! Only developers are set to profit while existing residents suffer. And do the council care..NO!!!

Cabinet should vote to abandon this plan and start again, this time speaking to and really involving local communities that will be affected by bad decisions for years to come.

Gfi
2 years ago

Another nail in Lichfield’s coffin it’s unrecognisable as the city I grew up in .

Sheila Clark
2 years ago

Lichfield is rapidly disappearing from view. It is becoming a cut off island in the middle of a sea of housing. Trying to get into the town centre becomes more and more difficult because of the increased traffic. The facilities in the city are not keeping up with this expansion especially the health facilities of doctors and dentists.
I have lived in Lichfield all of my life and I don’t recognise it any longer . It isn’t just the new housing estates ,we also have HS2 to contend with which will be of no benefit to Lichfield itself.
Please consider what you are doing to Lichfield. Soon it will just be part of an urban sprawl connected to Birmingham. I loved where I live and I was proud of my city but now I am filled with a deep sadness of what it has become.

AnnS
2 years ago

Concrete Eadie again with his empty words.

Philip
2 years ago

To be pragmatic, it is more than probable that Lichfield would expand as its giant neighbour expanded. The same fate has happened to Tamworth and other towns and villages. That is, of course, the history of London which consumed a vast number of smaller communities.
This being so, it is the manner of both the speed and planning of this transition that is at fault. Why do normal citizens see the lack of infrastructure and services as a problem but the people they elected to act on their behalf just don’t acknowledge the same?
Certainly the city is not the same even since the last two decades. It has always had to adapt to change. The city father’s of old were at pains to protect its history and ethos. We are in great need of people of that calibre now.

Trouble stirer
2 years ago

I am shocked we need to build more houses for our families the more we have the greater in income from tax we just need the council to spend it better merry Christmas everyone