Fears plan will merge villages

RESIDENTS of Upper Tean – along with local councillors, members of the parish council and Upper Tean Residents’ Association – have criticised planning officers at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

The groups say that they are ‘dismayed and puzzled’ at the recommendation by planning officers to approve the development of 55 houses in Upper Tean on land adjacent to Daisy Bank Farm. which goes before the planning committee for a final decision tomorrow (Thursday, January 24).

Fears have also been expressed that if the plan is approved two villages would be merged.

A press release by Checkley Parish Council said: “This despite huge local opposition with 98 letters of objection and there clearly being planning reasons to refuse this application. Not least the district council’s own substantially complete local plan and planning policies.

“We have a bizarre situation where local volunteers and local councillors are spending hours and hours of their time, free of charge, trying to deliver a plan for development, not in any way, shape or form to stop development in Checkley Parish.

“Approval would represent the beginning of the end for the two separate villages and communities of Upper Tean and Lower Tean, the development would result in the merging of the two villages, something that is clearly against district council policy.”