Plans approved for 138 new homes in village on Staffordshire/Shropshire border despite bin drag issue

Outline permission was granted for the development off Mucklestone Wood Lane in Loggerheads on appeal, after the plans were originally refused by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

Hundreds of people opposed the initial planning application, saying the homes were not needed and that the area lacked the infrastructure to cope with so many new residents. But the planning inspector overturned the council’s decision earlier this year, saying that the 12-hectare site was a ‘sustainable and suitable site for development’.

Planning committee members at the council have now approved a reserved matters application detailing the layout of the new estate and the design of the homes. The committee put off making a decision last month due to concerns over the extent of unadopted highway on the estate, and the impact this would have on bin collections.

Developer Shropshire Homes subsequently amended the plans, reducing the number of homes on unadopted roads from 16 to six. Rob Perrins, technical director at Shropshire Homes, told the committee that the plans were in ‘full compliance’ with the county council’s highway design guide.

He said: “We very much hope the additional information gives members clarity on the points raised at the July meeting. This development is very important to Shropshire Homes and our employees and we hope that members are minded to agree with the officer recommendation to approve this application.”

Residents in six homes on cul-de-sacs will have to drag their bins to a central collection point. Councillor David Hutchison said he still had concerns over refuse collectors having to drag the bins from the collection point to the nearest adopted road.

He said: “The unadopted highway won’t be gritted, it could be slippy with moss or snow, and we’re expecting crews, employees of Newcastle Borough Council, to walk over that to collect bins because the bin collection point is in the wrong place.”

Officers said the proposed location of the collection point was a ‘happy medium’, with the proposed bin drag distances well within guidelines. Councillor Mark Holland said refusing the application on the bin drag issue would be ‘indefensible’ on appeal, and that the committee now had little choice but to approve the amended plans.

Councillor Holland said: “I think it’s a fair point to say that wherever possible we ought to be arranging bin collection points so they’re directly adjacent to an adopted highway. As a committee we were right to ask for a greater extent of adopted highway, and the applicant was right to submit the revised plans.

“The key objection to this housing estate is that people don’t want it – it is unnecessary new housing, it’s over-development in the village of Loggerheads. We are powerless at this meeting to object to the principle of the development, which has been granted on appeal, so it’s not something we can turn down.”

The development will include a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom properties, with 42 of the homes set to be classed as affordable. Vehicular access to the estate, which will also include two play areas, will be via Mucklestone Wood Lane.