> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Council accused of double standards over plan to foot the bill for Friarsgate development in Lichfield - URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/council-accused-of-double-standards-over-plan-to-foot-the-bill-for-friarsgate-development-in-lichfield/ - Published: 2018-05-25T05:57:51.000Z - Updated: 2018-05-25T05:59:42.000Z - Description: A plan for Lichfield District Council to foot the bill for Friarsgate is a case of double standards, the leader of the Labour opposition group has claimed. - Author: Lichfield Live - Tags: Business, Politics, News A plan for Lichfield District Council to foot the bill for Friarsgate is a case of double standards, the leader of the Labour opposition group has claimed. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/img_20151203_123746.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2015/12/03/in-pictures-plans-for-new-friarsgate-development-in-lichfield/img%5F20151203%5F123746/) An artist’s impression of the new Friarsgate development *LichfieldLive* revealed yesterday that [a plan had been drawn up for the local authority to provide the funding after private money failed to emerge](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2018/05/24/leader-reveals-lichfield-district-council-could-provide-funding-to-ensure-friarsgate-redevelopment-goes-ahead/). But Labour group leader Cllr Sue Woodward has questioned why the Conservatives on the council could find millions for “a vanity project” in Lichfield while other parts of the district went without. She said: “We’ve yet to see all of the detail, where the devil often hides, but my first big question is why on earth would the council want to put council tax payers money into a retail scheme when the high street retail market is currently on the slide? “If private investors don’t have the confidence to put money into the scheme, why should the residents of Lichfield district? “My second big question is whether the council will also consider investing directly in other long-awaited capital projects around the district first – in Fazeley, Armitage, the rural villages and, of course, Burntwood. “It’s almost 20 years since Lichfield District Council promised £250,000 for a replacement xommunity facility and Artsbase when we lost the Brendewood Suite in Burntwood, but we were since told there was no money left. This was in the queue for funding even before Friarsgate was thought of. “That’s before even mentioning other empty sites around the town such as the blue hoardings site or the dilapidated state of the Sankey’s Corner shopping centre. “Lichfield District Council seems to be showing itself yet again to be far too city-centric. Yes, Lichfield city has many assets and also great potential, but it’s only a part of the wider district and at least two thirds of our council taxpayers don’t live in the city, so there’s also the question of equity. “We need investment in many local areas, not just the city.” No details have yet emerged about how much the council will need to pump in to get the Friarsgate scheme off the ground. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/img_20151203_123636.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2015/12/03/in-pictures-plans-for-new-friarsgate-development-in-lichfield/img%5F20151203%5F123636/) An artist’s impression of the new Friarsgate development But Cllr Rob Birch, a Labour representative on Burntwood Town Council, said it was unfair for residents in other parts of the district to pay the price for a retail development that the private sector has backed away from. “If developers are not willing to invest in the plans, would that not suggest it is unlikely to be profitable?” he said. “If it’s not profitable then it is more likely to cost the tax payer money than it is to be cost neutral to the public purse. “I suspect the cost of this will run into tens of millions of pounds at the same time as Lichfield District Council are pleading poverty. Remember the bin tax as they can’t afford to remove garden waste any more? “This is yet another unnecessary development in Lichfield, at taxpayers’ expense, using money that could give Burntwood a new town centre and most likely pay for the badly needed health centre as well. “People should brace themselves for on-going rises in their council tax to pay for this latest Tory white elephant. “It appears that Lichfield District Council’s Conservatives have been sent a branch from Theresa May’s magic money tree. Either that or we are all about to be robbed blind to pay for another Tory vanity project.” Cllr Mike Wilcox said the funding plan had not been decided on, but insisted it would not be unusual for a council to invest in a private project such as Friarsgate. “The majority of the major Friarsgate milestones are now in place, and we are working with U+I to assemble the final piece of the jigsaw, which is the funding to deliver the scheme,” he said. “As part of this, councillors were informally briefed on the opportunity for the council to fund the scheme at a meeting on May 22. “This is an approach that has been taken by a number of other councils across the country to successfully kick start major developments,” he said. “No decisions have been made and the opportunity is being explored in greater depth as part of a programme of decision making. The next discussion will take place at a joint meeting of Economic Growth, Environment and Development (Overview & Scrutiny) Committee later this month.”