Decision on homes plan near Market Drayton to be made in new year

A bid to build the houses on the site of Tadgedale Quarry in Loggerheads, near Market Drayton, has been put off by members of a council's planning committee.

The proposals for the site off Eccleshall Road had been recommended for approval by planning officers despite almost 40 objections from members of the public.

But councillors will now carry out a site visit before making a final decision.

A report to members of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council said the plans had been backed by officers on the condition that a contribution of £513,923 is made towards education provision, 25 per cent of the homes are affordable and a contribution of £6,300 is put towards travel plan monitoring.

The scheme for 128 homes, put forward by Renew Land Developments, would involve building a mix of two, three and four-bed houses, some of which will be affordable.

Residents have claimed the development would impact on already over-stretched services.

A total of 38 letters of objection were received and Loggerheads Parish Council voted to object to the plans.

Roy Hughes, of Folly View, said: "Loggerheads has absorbed considerable house building over the last 25 years but there has been little or no amenities added to the village. These houses could be built within Newcastle and Stoke-on-Trent where there are brownfield sites."

Daryl Smith, of Derwent Drive, said: "I strongly object to the proposed development.

"It is unsustainable in regard to local services, local infrastructure and transport links.

"Services and infrastructure such as healthcare and sewerage are already overloaded.

"Residents in the proposed houses would have to travel by car for work, leisure and shopping.

"Vehicles travelling to the Potteries would inevitably use Mucklestone Wood Lane which is narrow and hazardous at its eastern end. Local public transport might charitably be described as poor. I suspect that waste water would need to be pumped to the treatment works, an additional unsustainable element.

"The site is described as a quarry but prior to present use as a lorry park, it was a waste tip for three decades. Waste tipping was initially uncontrolled and it was common to see large numbers of takers with Liverpool and Manchester company addresses taking liquid waste to the site."

Paul Furnival, of Pinewood Drive, Ashley Heath, said: "There are significant infrastructure failures that need seriously addressing before considering more houses, including healthcare, schools, public transport, shops and community facilities."

The report to councillors states: "This development would make a significant contribution towards addressing the undersupply of housing in the borough."