The prospect of city centre land being used for retirement homes has been ruled out by the leader of Lichfield District Council.
A developer is currently being sought for the plot of land where the Tempest Ford garage once stood.
The local authority said it was hoping to create a “a gateway residential development” on the site.
But Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, said the focus was not on adding to the city’s retirement living options.
“I think anyone who lives in Lichfield will know that the market caters very well for retirement homes already – there’s certainly not a need for Lichfield District Council to step into that market.
“We want to see many more homes come forward that appeal to young professionals.
“The site is right in the heart of the city, it’s right opposite brilliant transport links, whether that’s train or roads, so this will be really high quality housing targeted at those young professionals who want to make their home in the heart of Lichfield city.
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Pullen said the council were also working to ensure safeguards were in place to prevent inappropriate development on a key site within the broader city centre regeneration project.
“We are working really closely with the land agent a the moment to select a very high quality developer for that land.
“We will choose who that developer is and we will have a design code in place which will be incredibly strict about what they can and can’t build on that site.
“Of course, it’s also in a conservation area as well which helps us, but we will maintain a very, very close relationship with that developer and ensure we have a contractual position which allows us to hold them to the highest possible standards to ensure that what is built on that land is something that everybody in Lichfield can be proud of.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
