Councillors allow former public land in Rugeley to become part of private residential area
Councillors have allowed former public land next to a Rugeley home to become part of a private residential area – but a similar proposal in Hednesford has been turned down.
The land next to a property in Averill Drive, Rugeley, has already been enclosed, a report to Cannock Chase Council’s planning committee has said. A consultation on the proposed sale of the land was held in August 2020 and no objections were made to the change of use.
The report said: “The public land forming the application site has been enclosed with 2m high fencing and hard surfaced. It is sited adjacent to a public footpath, located to the rear boundary of the dwelling.
“The loss of the public land does not have a significant impact on the overall area, given that it is a relatively small piece of land within a wider area of network of footpaths and open grassland opposite. Furthermore, it is evident that the enclosure of the land removes a potential hiding place for criminals and as such improves natural surveillance of the rear boundaries to the residential properties.”
Planning committee members approved the change of use application at their meeting on Wednesday.
But they refused permission for land at the side of a home in Green Heath Road, Hednesford, to become private space because of concerns the enclosure would result in the loss of green space in the area. There were also worries that fencing around the land next to a footpath would reduce natural surveillance of the alleyway and lead to crime fears.
The application had been recommended for approval by planning officers ahead of Wednesday’s meeting. The council received no objections to the plans.
The committee report said: “The use of the land would be to form domestic curtilage extension of the front garden area for parking of vehicles.
“The 1.8m high fencing would step down to 1m high fencing enclosing the public land. The enclosure of the land with fencing would not raise any concerns with regards to highway or pedestrian safety, due to this stepped design.”
