Residents are questioning why Green Belt land is being earmarked for 72 homes – two decades after plans to build executive houses on the site were blocked.

Site BL12, off Stone Road in Trentham, has been added to Stoke-on-Trent City Council's draft local plan following last year's consultation.

Hajco 107 Ltd, which had mobile phone tycoon John Caudwell among its directors, lodged plans to build 24 executive homes on the site back in 2004, but the application was eventually blocked by the government.

Hundreds of people had opposed the plans, raising concerns over issues such as flooding and traffic.

And Trentham residents say these problems have got worse over the last 20 years, making the land even less suitable for development.

The city council is carrying out a consultation on the latest version of the local plan, which will guide all development in the city up to 2040.

At a consultation event in Trentham residents raised concerns over site BL12, as well as another site next to Trentham Golf Club, which is set to be allocated 500 homes in the plan.

Trentham resident Christopher Calkin said: "My main concern is that BL12 is on a flood plain. There were previous plans from John Caudwell to build 24 executive homes on the land, but they were thrown out by the Deputy Prime Minister.

"If anything, the problems with flooding have got even worse since then because of climate change, so I don't know why the site could be considered suitable now.

"There are concerns over highways as well. Adding more than 500 homes in the area will cause problems."

Christopher's neighbour Rachel Jones is also concerned about increased traffic.

She said: "At the moment, if there's an accident on the M6, the A34 becomes completely blocked. It can take me two hours just to get up to Hanford roundabout."

Last year more than 1,400 people signed a petition calling for the land next to Trentham Golf Club to be removed from the local plan, saying the development would worsen traffic problems on the A34 and put increased pressure on local services.

The golf club says selling off the land will help safeguard its future and provide much needed housing in the area.

The Trentham sites are among 70 across the city which have been earmarked for housing in the draft local plan.

Council leaders insist they are taking a 'brownfield first' approach, although more than 10,000 homes have been allocated to Green Belt and greenfield sites.

The six-week consultation on the local plan will run until 14 September. You can have your say by visiting the website here.

Alternatively, email [email protected] or write to Planning Policy Team, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1HH.

A series of drop-in events are also being held across the city. For more details, visit the council website.