Housing development plans for land next to Grade II-listed church rejected
Plans to build a housing block on land next to a Grade II-listed church have been rejected by councillors because of over-development concerns.
The amount of proposed parking spaces and the development’s effect on the future of nearby mature trees were also questioned by members of Cannock Chase Council’s planning committee on Wednesday as they considered the application for land next to St Michael’s Church on Brereton’s Main Road.
A three-storey development of four houses and four apartments had been proposed for the site, which has been vacant for more than 15 years.
A report to the planning committee meeting said: “The site is currently overgrown and has remained unmaintained since the former 1930s bungalow was demolished around 2005. The application site is located within Brereton Conservation Area and is bound to the north by St Michaels Church (a Grade II-listed Building) and the churchyard.
“The proposed building would be a three storey building with the third floor being provided within the roof space. The layout of the site would be off the private driveway located to the front, which would lead along the front of the building to a communal car park at the rear which would provide parking for 10 vehicles.”
The council’s conservation planning officer did not consider the development to have a detrimental effect on the conservation area or the nearby church. But the tree officer and Brereton and Ravenhill Parish Council both raised objections.
Conservation area
The parish council said the development “would constitute substantial harm to the church and its curtilage” and “would have an adverse impact on the Brereton Conservation Area as its size is disproportionate to location and would have an adverse impact on parking.”
An outline application for eight terraced houses on the site was refused permission in 2006. But in 2007 plans for four homes with studies in roof space and four flats were approved by Cannock Chase Council.
On Wednesday, planning committee members voted to reject the latest application.
Committee member Councillor Alan Dudson said: “I have been there today to have a look around what they are proposing to build on there is a massive overdevelopment for a conservation area.”
Councillor Alan Pearson added: “I think it is far too big for the site. I have nothing wrong with houses but it is just too big.”
