‘Council is obsessed with passing houses to balance its books’

Final go-ahead for 260 new homes and school

A FINAL decision approval notice has been issued which will now see a major development in a Moorlands town.

Planners at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council have now issued the approval notice which will see 260 new homes along with a new primary school being built in Cheadle.

The development will take place on land east of Froghall Road and north of Ayr Road, and Cheltenham Avenue.

The original application was approved by the council’s planning committee in November 2019, despite major concerns it will ‘clog up’ the town and put more pressure on doctors and dentists.

The first phase involved full planning permission for 125 dwellings and access to a proposed primary school. The second phase involves outline approval for a further 135 new homes and primary school.

Staffordshire Moorland District Council’s planning applications committee voted 12 to one in favour of the development on land to the east of Froghall Road and north of Ayr Road, and Cheltenham Avenue when they met last year. The application was submitted by Persimmon Homes (North West) Ltd.

The final decision notice comes after the Moorlands council has already given permission to build up to 121 homes on a former JCB factory site at Cecily Mill, off Oakamoor Road and 60 houses off Thorley Drive.

Cheadle councillor Richard Alcock, spoke against the planning application and has always stated that the town roads cannot cope with more traffic.

Following the decision noticed being given, Councillor Alcock said this week: “I am against all these houses along with the JCB site.

“I believe it will clog the roads up, especially at peak times.

“The road system can’t stand it. I am not against a school but they have been on about building a school since I was at school and that wasn’t yesterday.

“Cheadle is blocked off now at busy times, this is before these houses are built. You cannot alter the roads in the town which were built for the horse and cart.”

Speaking at the planning meeting Councillor Peter Wilkinson said the large development would affect residents and cause major problems to the highways.

He said: “There are two mine shafts which must lead to tunnels. This is probably why the area has never been developed.

“There is also concern over the access from Ayr Road, and Cheltenham Avenue which I asked to be taken out. Traffic will go up to the top of Froghall Road where there are lots of cars parked on the side of the road. This needs to be addressed.

“This council is obsessed with passing houses to balance their books and to get the housing bonus.”