A report has urged councillors to refuse plans for new homes to be built on land earmarked for a new town centre development in Burntwood.
Housing association Bromford are hoping to build 87 properties on the so-called blue hoarding site off Milestone Way.
The development had drawn criticism from councillors in Burntwood over concerns that the land had long been earmarked for retail development as part of a revamped town centre.
A report to Lichfield District Council’s planning committee has now recommended that councillors refuse planning permission for housing on the site.
“The proposal conflicts with the overarching aims of the Local Plan and the recent Burntwood Neighbourhood Plan which allocate the site for mixed town centre retail and leisure uses in response to an identified need to serve existing and future residents of the town.
“While the scheme would provide for affordable housing, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that this need cannot be met within the sustainable locations through allocated sites, new development coming forward and existing permissions.
“The vision for Burntwood set out in the Local Plan Strategy clearly seeks Burntwood to be a more sustainable, healthier and self-contained town with an enlarged and viable town centre that has a range of retail outlets, commercial, leisure, health and cultural facilities of an appropriate scale to meet local needs.
“Objective one in the Neighbourhood Plan is to redevelop and regenerate Burntwood Town Centre to create a key focal point for the area – it is considered that the scale of proposed residential development will prohibit the creation of a vibrant and diverse town centre.
“While affordable housing is a benefit which should be given weight in decision making, it is not considered that this weight outweighs the harm to the clear development strategy set out in the Local and Neighbourhood Plan as a whole.”
Planning report
The report will be discussed at the planning committee meeting on Monday (1st November).
