PROPOSALS to build more than 750 new homes a year across Lichfield and Burntwood are “simply unsustainable”, a council leader has said.
The government has put forward plans which could see the number of developments in the district rocket by around 160%.
It would mean the previous target of 289 new properties a year would increase to 753.
But Cllr Doug Pullen, Conservative leader of Lichfield District Council, said the numbers being put forward would have a huge impact on local communities – and branded the rate of building as “simply unsustainable”.
“Last year we withdrew our Local Plan to stop further urban sprawl and to focus on new settlements – but this new direction from the government has pulled the rug from underneath our feet.
“We know that creating communities in our district is important. Young families should be able to get on the housing ladder near to the communities they grew up in, but such a drastic increase will create real challenges for Lichfield District and feels simply unsustainable.
“We will fight this diktat directly with government – hopefully with the support of our two MPs – and do everything we can to ensure we build out brownfield first, followed by new settlements with the appropriate infrastructure.
“Birmingham City Council have been told they can build 2,200 houses less a year, but Lichfield must build 460 more a year – it’s absolutely sickening”.
Cllr Pullen said that importance also needed to be placed on the standard of properties built.
“While Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has removed the reference to building ‘beautiful’ homes and is removing our ability to stop developments that are ‘out of character’ with the area, we will bring in our own local design code to ensure this requirement is maintained locally.”
