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Stafford street names to remember residents

War heroes, businessmen and religious figures from Stafford are set to have streets named after them alongside a tribute to tragic council worker Stewart Staples under plans.

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Stafford Borough Council's cabinet will meet today to discuss naming streets on a housing development near Jubilee Playing Fields in Great Haywood, as well as streets at Redhill Business Park in honour of some of the areas notable residents.

Proposals for the street names in Great Haywood were made by Colwich Parish Council, while Staffordshire County Council came up with names for streets at the business park.

Father Augustin Emery, former postmistress Teresa May Yelland, Reverend George Brutton, as well as steam engine manufacturer William Bagnall and Second World War pilot Harry Kerr will all be honoured.

An alternative proposal to name the streets in connection to the works of J R R Tolkien was quashed due to concerns over difficulties in obtaining copyright permission.

The borough council will discuss lending their support to the plans at today's meeting.

Councillor Patrick Farrington, Stafford Borough Council leader, said: "I like the idea that all of these streets will be named after people who have had a real connection with Stafford.

"I think this is a nice way to go about naming streets in the borough.

"These have been thought about in depth, with different ideas taken on board from society and the general public.

"It is great that they won't just be plucked out of thin air, they will have some weight because they mean something to people."

The move was initially proposed by Staffordshire County Council, who will also look to pay tribute to former employees Stewart Staples, who died in 2014.

Mr Staples had worked for the councils Highways Department for 26 years prior to his death as a result of a tragic blaze at a fireworks factory at SP Plastics, in Tilcon Avenue, Baswich.

Mr Staples, 57, of Bond Way, was a customer at the shop at the time of the blaze, which saw 50 firefighters battle to keep it under control.

Hundreds of rockets were sent exploding into the sky above the industrial unit, before what was left of the building was demolished and the firm went into liquidation.

The street named in his honour would be called Staples Close.

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