Stone Town Council has today, 17th May, submitted strong objections to the proposed application for planning in principle at Heath Gardens.
We reported last week about the planning in principle application for up to 2 bungalows that was submitted to Stafford Borough Council for consideration.
The land proposed for the building of up to two bungalows at Heath Gardens was included by the Council as local green infrastructure in the recently approved Neighbourhood Plan. It has therefore called upon Stafford Borough Council, as the body that will make the decision regarding the planning application, to refuse the application on the basis that it involves the loss of green infrastructure valued by the community and explicitly identified in the Stone Neighbourhood Plan.
When a Neighbourhood Plan has received a yes vote at referendum it forms part of the statutory development plan for the area, as stated in Planning Practice Guidance: ‘A neighbourhood plan comes into force as part of the statutory development plan once it has been approved at referendum’.
The Council’s objection also goes on to point out that the development proposal is contrary to national policy promoting healthy and safe communities, the policies in the Stone Neighbourhood Plan, and even the policies in the Borough Council’s own Plan for Stafford Borough.
Councillor Tom Kelt, Chairman of the Council’s Planning Consultative Committee, said:
“The residents of Stone have made it very clear through their overwhelming support for the Neighbourhood Plan that they want to see the town’s green spaces protected. I can give my assurance that the Town Council will fight to uphold this. I now call on Stafford Borough, who will make the planning decision, to support the people of Stone and reject this application.”
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2 comments
Nigel Shuttleworth
If Stafford Borough Council grant planning permission, directly in contravention of the expressed wishes of those of us who live in Stone then the whole exercise of drawing up the Neighbourhood Plan will have been a massive waste of time and money and an utter denial of democracy. It would be interesting to hear Jill Hood’s comments on this application.
Neil Richardson
Stafford Borough Council have always ignored the wishes of the people of Stone. Look at Tilling Drive Recreation Park. A huge 66 bedroom care home being built on a childrens playing field. They don’t care about Stone simply using it as a way of getting money via additional rates income and selling our assets.