A FORMER MP says Labour’s housebuilding plans will leave Lichfield facing a “bleak” future.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has unveiled proposals which could see the number of new properties built across the district each year increase by 160%.
She said the move would boost the number of social and affordable homes.
But Sir Michael Fabricant – who lost his seat to Labour’s Dave Robertson at the General Election – said the future for Lichfield would be bleak if the new targets are implemented.
“Angela Rayner’s ambitious plans for a massive house building spree cannot all be built on brown and greyfield sites – and she knows it.
“While I appreciate the urgent need for extra homes, her assurances just don’t wash.
“No calculation has been made by her department based on the availability of industrial and wasteland, so the inevitable consequence is that more green fields will be turned over to concrete and Lichfield will eventually become part of the sprawling West Midlands conurbation.
“We have seen how this has adversely affected towns like Sutton Coldfield.
“The future for Lichfield under Ms Rayner could be equally as bleak losing the character and charm for which Lichfield is rightly reknowned.”
Sir Michael’s comments follow those of Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council, who said the new targets represented a “simply unsustainable” level of construction.
But Cllr Sue Woodward, leader of the Labour opposition group at the local authority, said her party were dealing with the challenges left behind by the former Conservative government.
“Housing needs won’t go away and we need to tackle the issue head-on.
“The previous Government ducked the need for more housing across the country for 14 years, but locally the suggestions of a new settlement should more than accommodate the increased allocation.
“Nothing is more important to people than decent, affordable housing as it affects every other aspect of people’s lives.”
Sir Michael Fabricant co-owns a holiday home (“half a small country estate … with 32 acres”) in Wales alongside his partner, Andy Street. Second home ownership is an often overlooked factor in this country’s housing crisis, pushing up prices and meaning much needed family homes are left sitting empty most of the year. The Tories also encouraged wealthy foreign investors to buy up prime real estate in London and elsewhere, with many of these investment properties also sitting empty.
Perhaps Michael Fabricant should quite literally set his own house in order before he starts complaining about houses being built with a view to people actually living in them.
It would only be a sprawl if Lichfield chooses to build between the A5 and Chester Road, Aldridge. I would suggest any new housing development would be imposed on the A38 corridor with an interchange station for HS2 incorporating an extension of the Cross City Line to Burton/Derby linking any Hs2 station with Trent Valley and the West Coast Mainline. East of Fradley is the obvious site. East of Bedford has a similar suggestion where the varsity line crosses the East Coast Mainline. Not saying I support, but this is another option.
Fabbo and Street occupy the Welsh Estate, Vicars Hall, Streets Birmingham Flat, plus whatever else they have in London or elsewhere. Occupying at least 3 properties and possibly more when 1 would do for the two of them.
A considerable amount of naivety seems evident within the Deputy Prime Minister’s ambitions.
Tamworth Borough Council’s target has been increased by 261% (from 123 per year up to 444).
No-one seems to have informed the D.P.M. that Tamworth is virtually landlocked – so guess what ? Doesn’t this suggest a profound increase on Tamworth’s borders – within LICHFIELD District.
Perhaps this requirement will mop up some of the 464 per year increase actually expected within Lichfield, but this will make a mockery of LDC scrapping it’s 2040 Local Plan due to the aggro on Tamworth’s border.
Seems like a case of “be careful what you wish for! “
I moved to Lichfield shortly after the Tories were elected in 2010. As an incomer myself, I can hardly complain about others wanting to move here too. Still, it could hardly escape my notice that many hundreds of new houses have been built to both the north and the south of the city in the time I’ve lived here. Former secretary of state Sajid Javid overrode the council and forced through the building of a high-density housing estate sandwiched between the A5192 and the West Coast Main Line, adjacent to the appropriately-named Watery Lane.
We have no A&E, our secondary schools, GP surgeries and dentists are all full up. The new developments are all built around car ownership, creating more congestion and pollution. I do not recall Fabricant or Pullen having a single word to say against any of this, but as soon as a Labour government wants to build houses it’s a disaster. Party and ideology before country with the Tories, same as ever.
Does Ms Raynor not understand- if people move into all these nice new (needed) homes – there are times they’re going to need treatment from doctors and dentists – which are already full up – and most dentists now are private only; meaning you could be waiting a month or more for even a phone appt!! What about our quality of life? Does it no longer matter?
All those that voted these clowns in will now be swamped with housing that has no infra structure to support it. No schools, shops which only have a single road in an out of the city and gridlock. How long before there’s a congestion charge to get off the drive? Fabricant is right , we have unsustainable ideas forced on many areas that simply aren’t suited. The hamlet of streethay is already gone , Whittington will soon be part of Lichfield proper and within no time will be part of Tamworth with it’s Birmingham postcode. If the new government is serious then we need a series of new roads , a hospital , doctors surgeries ,schools and increased fire and ambulance services.
Lichvegas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heeXLD4RxZw fabricant has been on this for a long time. supporting lichfiedians
You have to laugh at Michael. How many properties does he and his partner own and rent between them?? Both single men with no children???
He’s a grade A hypocrite.