Locals gather tonight to discuss concerns over an 81 home estate planned for Weeping Cross farmland.
South Staffordshire Council wants to build there, as their local plan includes this farmland. This plan guides development until 2041. The council sent it to the government in December, and an inspector will review the plan soon.
The plan underwent a public review last spring, where many people voiced concerns. Acton Trussell Parish Council objected, as did leaders in Stafford Borough. Over 100 people attended a meeting in May.
Another meeting is happening tonight at the community center, located on Acton Hill Road. The meeting starts at 8 PM.
Jenny Barron, a Stafford Borough member, said the plan is unchanged, remaining so despite their objections.
New rules are indeed changing how housebuilding works. Still, they have reasons to stop it because the site is far from local services. They want a local plan and housing assessment and hope to get support at the meeting. They will also attend the formal review.
South Staffordshire must build new housing. The target is 4,700 new homes by 2041 across the whole district.
The council thinks its plan is solid and utilizes land set aside for development. New housing focuses on villages with services and facilities. They looked for brownfield sites first, but South Staffordshire lacks brownfield land.
They limited Green Belt releases to key villages with rail access to help meet housing needs. They want to protect the Green Belt, and only a tiny area will change. They know decisions are difficult.