Stafford Borough Council’s plan to designate Westbridge Park as a site for mixed-use development in the Local Plan has been labelled “unsound” by an independent inspector.
Stephen Pratt held a number of sessions in public in October and November – you can see a report, plus full audio recording, of the examination of the Westbridge Park issue HERE.
Mr Pratt’s interim report on the Stafford Borough Council Local Plan – which identifies areas set aside for development in the future, including thousands of extra homes and sites for new businesses – has now been published. In it, he says the mixed-use development allocation for Westbridge Park is “unsound” and that plans to extend the town centre boundary to include Westbridge Park should be removed while more work is done on the retail and leisure needs of Stone.
His report states:
“The proposed mixed-use leisure/retail development at Westbridge Park is locally very controversial. SBC now proposes to remove most of the references to this proposal in the Plan, which is questionable in terms of retail need, has not properly been subject to sequential tests relating to town centre/retail policy or flood risk, and could have an impact on the character and appearance of this important gateway to the town. At present, there is insufficient evidence to show that the site could be developed in the manner intended, but if it is decided that this retail/leisure scheme is needed, it could be reconsidered at the Site Allocations/Neighbourhood Plan stage. In the meantime, this is an unsound proposal, and there is also insufficient justification to include this site within the amended town centre policy boundary.”
Councillor Frances Beatty, Stafford Borough Council cabinet member for planning and regeneration, said today: “The inspector appreciated the sensitivity around Westbridge Park. Following the consultation earlier this year we have been considering ways to improve the leisure offer in Stone – and the inspector’s report now gives us the clarity needed to complete this work.”
Mr Pratt also says the plan should include 200 more homes for Stone (taking Stone’s allocation to 1,000) to reflect the strong housing market – which would mean 200 less for Stafford. He also opposed a request by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to hold up building houses in Stone to help the regeneration of their area.
You can see Mr Pratt’s full interim report here – Inspector’s interim report
The Keep Westbridge Park Green group had campaigned against the borough’s plan for mixed-use development and were represented at the public examination sessions by Peter Weatherhead.
Away from Westbridge Park, Mr Pratt said the overall strategy appeared “sound, deliverable, viable, effective and fully justified with robust and comprehensive evidence”.
The inspector backed the council’s stance on housing numbers and rejected calls from developers to increase house building across the area. The council propose 500 homes to be built each year until 2031 – but developers who gave evidence at the hearing suggested the figure should be at least 700.
Councillor Beatty added: “It is very important to the whole of Stafford Borough that we have this plan adopted so that everybody knows where can be developed, how much development will be allowed and when this will happen. In a nutshell, the inspector is encouraging us to take our local plan forward, with some minor changes, and this is good news for the future prosperity and growth of our borough.”
So what happens next?
On the areas where the Plan is not considered sound by the inspector – like the mixed-use allocation for Westbridge Park – Stafford Borough Council will have time to address these and prepare modifications. This includes six weeks for any extra consultation that may be required. The Local Plan examination in public may even be reconvened after this period should the inspector deem it necessary. When all this is done, the final, inspector-approved Local Plan will be published.
The council will now be carrying out further consultation early in the New Year, with a final report expected in the summer.
- Frances Beatty
- housing
- Keep Westbridge Park Green
- Local Plan
- Peter Weatherhead
- Stafford Borough Council
- staffordshire
- Stephen Pratt
- Stone
- Westbridge Park
12 comments
Allan Skerratt
Peter
where is the encroachment onto green space problem in Walton
Peter Lead
At the entrance to the open recreational space off Redwood Avenue which also gives access to the important scientific site around the old meander and for the farmer who mows the meadows as part of the management of the floodplain. Initially, SBC told me that in their ‘opinion’ there had been no encroachment now they accept that there has.
Does not inspire me with confidence.
Peter Lead
Does Stafford Borough Council Really Care about Stone?
I have followed the proposals about the development of the Westbridge with varying degrees of horror as I judge this to be a vital recreational area in Stone on a level with the Plot.
To further develop this would simply destroy much of the character of Stone in one go.However, on another matter regarding recreational land in the Walton, Stone area I have been in contact with Stafford Borough Council for nearly four months about encroachment onto an area of open space in Walton. I have found this to be a very time consuming and deeply frustrating experience which has left me wondering whether officers the Borough Council really care about our environment in Stone. I remain to be convinced that they have been monitoring open spaces throroughly in the town.
Tim
Disppointed this section is not kept up to date. Have you not registered the Stone Town Council vote last Tuesday?
Andy Osgathorpe
“Disappointed”?
Hmmm personally, I think you have to put the site in context.
The section on Westbridge Park is excellent and is the only site which records the events in some . detail. e.g. The audio files of the actual hearing. I have do doubt that any information which may have been omitted at present will be include by this band of locally focussed, dedicated volunteers. The site is an excellent example of social media interaction with a community. Stafford Borough Council could learn a look from its example. A simple message to ALBOS would suffice. After all it is a community website and we have responsibilities as well. It’s all part of the package.
Keep up the excellent
work.
Jamie Summerfield
Hi Tim. It’s on my list of 42 stories to go on to the site. I run this site – with the help of volunteers – on top of my full-time, paid-for work and my family. We’ll get that on to the site as soon as we can
Craig
i totally agree with Andy’s comments. How much more clarity does Francis Beatty need? It’s quite clear by now thet the people of Stone do not want development on Westbridge Park. Maybe she should read her own profile on SBC website that starts ” I strongly believe in listening to people on the ground to find answers and solutions”. Start listening Francis and you will find a clear ‘no’ answer.
Francis
The result of the ballot was clear enough – the majority wanted the development to proceed. Another victory for the vocal minority that is keeping our town in the past. By the way – extra housing planned will put extra demand on the existing town facilities – I, like many welcome the extra housing – however without the addition of the small section of Westbridge Park offering an enhancement to our infrastructure I feel that new housing may become a white elephant
Andy Osgathorpe
There wasn’t any ballot, but if you’re referring to the Beattie Consultation then THAT was far from clear with Stafford Borough Council only counting the forms it wanted. It’s about as clear as your ballot – total non-sense. The issue at the hearing is about the development of a supermarket on Westbridge Park and KWPG is against that proposal. It is not against the use or development of the park for leisure and recreation. Such a use IS totally consistent with what we might expect to find on a park. The Beattie Consultation was a cunning plan to confuse/hide/link/make conditional, any improvement of leisure and recreation facilities with the building of a supermarket. Hope that clearer for you!
Tim
Do you think Frances Beatty will put her comments re Westbridge Park into plain English or give it some ‘clarity’!
Frances, are you pressing on with plans for retail on the park or not?
Andy Osgathorpe
Re: Councilor Frances Beatty, comments on “Clarity”. She said today:
“The inspector appreciated the sensitivity around Westbridge Park. Following the consultation earlier this year we have been considering ways to improve the leisure offer in Stone – and the inspector’s report now gives us the clarity needed to complete this work”.
Is that just another way of saying we can ignore 300+ Stone residents at the Alleynes Meeting when this plan first “hit the fan”; the 4700 odd signatures on the petition again building a supermarket on Westbridge; The so called “leisure consultation form/s” which was conveniently interpreted to exclude the majority who voted against the proposal and now a HM Inspector who actually calls this part of the Plan in paragraph 11 unsound?
Well that’s nice and clear then! I suppose we can expect another “cunning plan” form our elected councilors. Isn’t it about time SBC started to look at ways of implementing the Kit Campbell PPG17 report on leisure and recreation in Stone and actually come up with a plan for Stone which their own consultants can actually approve.