A PUBLIC consultation on plans for 450 new homes in Stonnall has ended.
Developer David Wilson Homes is preparing to submit a planning application for the Grove Hill site to Lichfield District Council.
The plans also include the potential provision for a sports pavilion, a new village hall, parking for the playing fields and additional parking for St Peter’s Church on land between Main Street, Chester Road and Church Road.
There are no proposals for a new primary school though because the existing one in the area operates below capacity – and the number of children in Stonnall is expected to fall without the development, according to the consultation. However, the plans could provide funding for a pre-school nursery.
But one resident responding to the consultation said:
"This is a village of 2,000 people. They moved here because they want a quiet village life, but this proposal would double the size of our village, which is completely unacceptable.
"Even from a non-selfish point, this does not have the infrastructure to cope with the massive increase in population.
"The roads are narrow and already falling apart due to poor maintenance and being used as a rat run."
The consultation website says that the scheme would help address a housing shortage:
"Lichfield District Council is required, under national planning regulations, to have sufficient land with planning permission that will allow 782 new homes to be built each year for five years.
"This is not the case and the council has a shortfall of 1,055 homes. As a consequence, the council will be required to grant planning permissions to address the housing shortfall. The site at Grove Hill could help overcome this shortfall.
"David Wilson Homes is planning to submit an outline planning application to help the council address its five-year housing land supply shortfall."
More detail about the plans can be found at grovehillstonnall.com.
