MORE than 4,000 people have signed a petition calling on Lichfield District Council to exclude land from consideration for development in the new Local Plan.
It comes after the Preventing Inappropriate Greenbelt Sprawl (PIGS) group claimed that green belt land at Packington Hall Farm could see up to 4,500 homes built in future.
Fears have also been raised that the land, which sits between Lichfield and Tamworth, would push the two closer to merging – and warned that an ancient woodland would be lost.
The new Local Plan will guide all development in the district until 2046.
Government targets mean that the council needs to plan for 769 new homes every year. However, to meet the figure, the local authority is considering creating completely new settlements rather than expanding existing ones.
The petition states:
"Lichfield and Tamworth – and the fields that separate these two ancient towns – are under threat.
"As a community, we have always found solace and peace in these landscapes, with their rich history and natural beauty. They are not just land, they are part of the historic character that defines our district and what makes this area so unique and precious.
"Now, these fields face the very real prospect of being transformed into a sprawling development of up to 4,500 new homes as part of Lichfield District Council’s Local Plan.
"We urgently need to protect Packington Hall Farm and the surrounding green belt to preserve our environment, history, and community identity.
"The proposed development site does not just represent a loss of open countryside and working farmland. Due to its proximity, it also threatens Hopwas Woods, an ancient woodland that is irreplaceable and highly valued not only by locals but by all who cherish our natural heritage.
"The development would push Lichfield and Tamworth over a tipping point and into a single, merged, continuous urban conurbation, erasing the unique identities that make our towns so special."
The petition can be found here.
The council is currently carrying out an initial consultation until 5th October on its new Local Plan along with a call for sites.
A statement on the council's planning policy consultation portal said:
"As part of the new Local Plan preparation, we are undertaking a call for sites exercise to help us identify potential sites that may be able to help meet the district’s development needs in the future.
"This invites landowners, developers and other interested parties to submit land for consideration for a range of uses, including housing, employment sites, traveller sites and retail.
"It is important to note that this is a land availability exercise, and it does not necessarily mean that these sites are suitable for development."
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