THE chair of a task group looking at the redevelopment of Lichfield city centre says he is “disappointed” by the comments from a councillor on their work.
Members of Lichfield District Council are due to decide tomorrow (15th October) whether to agree the sale of the former Tempest Ford plot for housing.
Reports to the meeting have also highlighted how the zoned approach to the former Friarsgate land – now rebranded as the Birmingham Road Site – will deliver a mix of homes, commercial, retail and hotel space.
But the overall proposals drew criticism from Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Paul Ray who said they were “just not right” for a key gateway site into the city.
He added:
“I have been on the task group that has overseen these plans and have continually raised objections, but the other parties have supported them. Those meetings were confidential but now the plans are public and so available for all to see.
“They are so unimaginative and just create big blocks of housing in the centre of our beautiful city.
“The original objective was to make the Birmingham Road Site development a place of impact and style as it is a gateway into the city. These plans just do not achieve that.”
But Cllr Colin Ball, who chaired the task group, said Cllr Ray’s comments had sought to politicise the task group process.
The Labour group deputy leader said:
“I was really disappointed – to put it mildly – to read Cllr Ray’s comments on Lichfield Live.
“The role of the task group, as with all of the overview and scrutiny work of the council, is to work across political parties to review all proposals before they go forward to the cabinet and council for approval and to act as a ‘critical friend’ by making comments and suggestions for change where necessary.
“Cllr Ray seems not to have understood this aspect of the task group when he suggests that there disagreements along party lines.
“As chair, I have always encouraged open debate and discussion and tried to lead the task group to reach consensus wherever possible. There have been differences of opinion in the past, but not on party political lines.
“Indeed, at the latest meeting of the group on the plans for the city centre, Cllr Ray was in a minority of one, with everyone else approving of the proposals – including the other Lib Dem member on the task group!”
The proposals for the Birmingham Road Site have been developed alongside a design code which aims to deliver appropriate development.
Cllr Ball added:
“Cllr Ray also seems to have forgotten the extensive and, in my view, excellent consultation exercise carried out by Create Streets to develop the design code for the city centre.
“The task group was fully engaged in that process and signed off the design code unanimously, including Cllr Ray.
“The current proposals fully meet the design code, so I am still puzzled – as I was at the latest meeting of the task group – at Cllr Ray’s objections to the latest design proposals for the city centre.”
However, Cllr Ray said none of his comments should have come as a surprise to Cllr Ball.
“What I have said to Lichfield Live is nothing I have not said in our private task group meetings. Now that the details are public I am right to raise these.
“And this debate is simply about what is best for Lichfield. I do not think these plans are the best we can do and I want to hear what residents think.”
