‘Why do council say we need 1,000 new homes?’

AN action group has questioned why so many houses are required in Leek when the population of the town has risen by just 2,000 in almost 100 years.

Moorlands United Planning Action Group (MUPAG), which represents several groups across the district, has now called for people to respond to the next round of consultation into the Local Plan which is being produced for the whole district.

An independent inspector has just concluded an inquiry into proposals for the Local Plan put forward by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to build more than 3,000 new homes in the district for the period up to 2031.

This is in addition to those already having planning permission for development.

A spokesman for the action group said: “Data has shown that in 1920 the population of Leek was 20,000 people. In 2018 it is 22,000, a rise of approximately 20 people per year.

“Why then is Staffordshire Moorlands District Council attempting to persuade us that Leek needs 1,015 new homes?

“Recently the Office of National Statistics has revised downwards the national housing need by 24 per cent, yet SMDC have failed to reduce their calculations. Could this be linked to the New Homes Bonus that the council would receive?

“MUPAG is concerned that, despite being 12 years late, the Core Strategy is still not formulated to the satisfaction of the Planning Inspectorate.

“In fact, as the Inspector Mr Mark Dakeyne recently concluded SMDC officers and planners have yet again failed in producing a workable plan, the current version needing up to 35 major modifications and many more minor modifications.

“The Inspector repeatedly highlighted a lack of evidence to support mixed housing or for employment needs.

“MUPAG feels that the following points need to be addressed and consulted on by residents, who should be deciding how many and where any new homes should be built.

“Building should be considered more favourably on brown field sites than elsewhere.

“MUPAG urges residents to get involved in the next round of consultation, as all previous communications to the council will not be taken into consideration.”

Councillor Edwin Wain, who has the responsibility for planning on Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, said that without a plan for more houses on specific sites the government inspector would not approve the proposed Local Plan.

He said: “Without a Local Plan in place, it would put us in a difficult position where we could not refuse a planning application.

“This could then involve developers having a free for all and building on the Green Belt.

“With regard to affordable houses developers are saying that there is no profit in it. They are looking to build bigger where there is more profit for the shareholders.

“I totally agree that brownfields site are used first.”