New housing plans for part of Cannock council deport
Part of a council depot in Cannock could be sold off for housing.
Bosses are considering getting part of the Hawks Green site which is no longer used off its books. It is seen as an ideal site for redevelopment, with housing the most likely option.
The base, on Old Hednesford Road, is still used by district council workers but a large part of it has been disused for years. A review of the site is ongoing and plans to sell off part of the site that is no longer used could progress in the spring.
Gordon Alcott, deputy leader of Cannock Chase District Council, said: "What we have had to do is look at all the council's assets where possible to see if we can utilise that land for other purposes, be it industry, housing or open space."
Council bosses hope the land can be transformed and that housing developers can be attracted to take it off their hands.
He said stretched finances meant it was sensible for the authority to look at sites that can be sold to bring in cash.
"We need to look at all these sorts of things because of the cutbacks the council is facing. It would deliver a capital receipt to go into the council coffers and re-utilise a site to provide other services," Councillor Alcott said.
"We've got to provide a cemetery at Norton Canes and Heath Hayes. That's going to cost money from capital receipts to buy the land, set it up and build it. That's where the money goes."
A new report said a decision on a review of the Hawks Green site was due in April. Council bosses are then likely to move forward with trying to find a buyer for part of the site.
