A new village masterplan could see up to 1,200 homes built on green fields – despite a consultation revealing widespread opposition to development.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council plans to draw up proposals for 80 hectares of council-owned farmland east of Packmoor, potentially involving hundreds of new homes along with improved local services.

Last year the council commissioned a major public engagement exercise, in which residents were given the chance to have their say on the future of Packmoor.

The report on the consultation says there is 'a strong and widely held view that opposes any development in Packmoor', with this being the 'clearest and most prevalent' issue expressed by local people.

But council leaders say that 'doing nothing is not an option', and insist that any development of the land must deliver improvements for local people, such as better roads, high-quality green space and expanded NHS provision.

The cabinet will be asked to approve one of three options for Packmoor at their meeting next Tuesday: leaving the land as it is; selling individual sites to housebuilders; or drawing up proposals for residential development as part of a masterplan.

If cabinet members approve the masterplan option, they will also be asked to agree to the establishment of a Packmoor Community Liaison Group, involving councillors and local people, 'to involve residents in shaping next steps'.

Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, said: "We're very grateful to the hundreds of people who have been involved in the community engagement over the last few months. Their feedback is absolutely vital in shaping any future plans for the site.

"I've always been clear that doing nothing is not an option. Families in Packmoor deserve better: better roads, better local services, better green spaces that bring people together.

"At the same time, we can't ignore the reality that Stoke-on-Trent urgently needs more homes – good, affordable homes that work for working people. That means we have to plan with care, with purpose, and with the community at the heart of every decision.

"If we move forward with a masterplan, it will be grounded in what people have told us and it will be based on community involvement at every stage."

Technical assessment of the site, which took into account constraints such as mineshaft, found that it could deliver between 800 and 1,200 homes – but the cabinet report points out that more than half the land would remain as open space.

The assessment also says that there will need to be 'significant investment' in local roads, as there are currently problems with congestion at key points.

Hundreds of people took part in the consultation exercise, which involved drop-in sessions, focus groups, surveys and door knocking While opposition to development was the most common view expressed during the consultation, according to the report there was a 'minority view' that acknowledged the need for housing in the area.

Residents raised concerns over road congestion, such as on Turnhurst Road, as well as their desire to preserve green space in and around the village.

The report also says that the consultation was hampered by the lack of a clear set of proposals for residents to consider.

Local resident Louise Vincent was among the residents who took part in the consultation. She said: "I'm not really surprised that the council are pressing ahead with this. Even before they started the consultation it seemed clear what the council wanted to do with this land. The consultation felt a bit like a tick-box exercise.

"Now we'll just have to wait for this masterplan, and what roads they'll be opening up for access to the new homes. I live on one of those roads, so that has always been the biggest issue for me."

The full report can be read here.

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