PLANS to convert equestrian land in Burntwood for residential use have been agreed by councillors.
Members of Lichfield District Council’s planning committee heard that an application agreed in 1991 approved the “extension of domestic curtilage and erection of stables” for the land at Chorley Road, with the buildings that were on the site having since been removed.
But Burntwood Town Council objected to the proposal to formalise the plot’s link to the residential property claiming that it would detract from the openness, character and permanence of the green belt.
Members of the committee raised concerns over the potential for development on the land, but a planning officer attempted to reassure them that restrictions on the new application would give the authority control over any future proposals on the site.
“The condition removes all permitted development rights covered by the entire general permitted development order.
“This means the land has absolutely no permitted development rights whatsoever. The significance of that is it stops them being able to build an outbuilding, a stables or something next to the house on the land and in the future creep it into a house or create something separate.
“Everything would have to come through the council as a planning application, so full control over how the land is developed in terms of building will be in the council’s control in the future.”
The “Green Belt” disappeared a long time ago? Lichfield was once surrounded by it but all that’s changed now.