Cllr Martin Blencowe - Town Council Mayor of UttoxeterUTTOXETER councillors have vowed to watch plans for 700 homes in Uttoxeter closely as residents raised their concerns.
Uttoxeter Town Council, at its meeting last week, said they recognised the need for development in the town after St Modwen announced plans for a mixed use development, including 700 homes and a primary school, on land between the A50 and Bramshall Road.
After receiving letters from residents in Grenville Close and Milverton Drive, as well as prospective Labour councillor David Trenery, the council vowed to act in the interests of the residents.
Complaints to the council included impact on their community, the footpath, increased traffic, disruption to the services, losing an area that is a safe place for children and the cost to themselves as they are private roads.
They added that residents were against the proposals for the houses.
Councillor Alan Noyes said: “This is a significant development from the A50 to Bramshall Road. It will be as big as the Birdlands and treelands area of the town.
“The council is not against the development as long as it is not upsetting the residents.
“The building of the development is for financial gain, and there is nothing wrong with that, but we as a town council has to get some gains out of this development.”
He also raised concerns about link roads from the A50 to the development site with the increase in traffic that would be using the road.
Councillor Noyes suggested speaking to Staffordshire County Council’s highways department about the need for a new link road.
Uttoxeter mayor Martin Blencowe said: “This is not a current application, it is only a proposal.
“The detail they have gone into to satisfy the council has to be given credit. It has to be made acceptable to existing residents.
“On the question of the local plan. We as a council have agree in the past that we do not want to oppose development of the town in terms of housing.
“If the town is to benefit from retail and employment opportunities, it has to have people and so needs housing.
“We do need to accept growth in the town and will push for the best growth we can get.
“We need to look at development in the most sensitive way possible, demonstrating we are keeping a close watch on it.”
Councillor James Russell added the authority needed to represent the views of the people.
He said: “We need to have our house in order long before the planning application is submitted so we know where we are when it comes out.”
