Nine houses could be built on land within the North Staffordshire Green Belt if a planning application is approved. 

An application has been submitted to Stafford Borough Council for permission in principle to build up to nine three to five-bedroom houses on land along Northwood Lane in Clayton, Newcastle-under-Lyme. 

The site lies within the North Staffordshire Green Belt. However, the application claims that the site meets the definition of grey belt and therefore "it is not an inappropriate development." 

The application states that the development would "not enable outward spread of a large urban area" or lead to the merging of neighbouring towns. 

It adds: "Development would read as minor edge consolidation, not as change to the setting of a historic town." 

The application also referenced a housing shortfall in Stafford Borough and added "that shortfall gives positive weight to granting this multi-unit scheme". 

Swynnerton Parish Council have objected to the proposal stating: "The application is an inappropriate development within the greenbelt." 

There have also been 23 neighbour consultation responses submitted to Stafford Borough Council – all of which object to the development. 

advertisement

Common themes in the objections were traffic congestion, building on the green belt and changing the visual character of Northwood Lane. 

One neighbour stated: "This is not a good idea at all. Northwood lane is already a very busy 'rat run' for commuters- this development will make the road even busier, not to mention more loud." 

Another said: "If this development were to proceed, the frontage of our home would no longer look out onto open countryside but would instead be faced, across its full aspect, by a line of houses." 

The local highway authority did not object to the proposal but recommended that further information is provided. 

They stated: "The site is not particularly well located in terms of sustainability, and this will have to be addressed and justified." 

The Conservation Team similarly explained that further information would be needed to assess the application: "There is currently insufficient heritage-related evidence to establish whether the site is suitable in principle for the proposed quantum of development." 

Stafford Borough Council have yet to make a decision on the application.

If the application is approved, it is expected that a more detailed application would be submitted before building begins.

advertisement

To view the full application, visit the Stafford Borough Council planning website here.