Village residents oppose plans to build 1,200 homes

Hundreds of residents have signed a petition urging the council to reconsider "catastrophic" plans to build up to 1,200 homes in a village.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council wants to build the residential development on 80-hectares of council-owned farmland in Packmoor.

But some residents said the proposals would result in the loss of valuable green space and would put pressure on local roads.

The council said its Packmoor masterplan would allow a "clearer view" of proposed improvements to highways and local amenities.

A petition opposing the plans gained more than 300 signatures in five days.

Lead petitioner, Darren Bamford, said the council was "not listening" to the feedback of residents following the recent consultation.

"The sheer size of these proposed plans would be absolutely catastrophic for Packmoor," he said.

"We urge the city council and cabinet to reconsider the proposed masterplan, the impact it could potentially have on Packmoor, its residents, our unique identity as a village and loss of our greenspace."

A technical assessment of land to the south-east of Packmoor suggested that it could deliver between 800 and 1,200 homes but most of the land would remain open space.

A spokesperson for the local authority said it had "engaged extensively" with hundreds of residents in Packmoor and other areas in the last two years.

"The council's cabinet has now determined that it is appropriate to develop a masterplan as the next stage in engaging residents," they explained.

"It is recognised that some residents are opposed to this decision but it will enable a clearer view of the residential, extra care facilities and highways improvements that could be delivered alongside new homes and affordable homes."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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