Row erupts in Stafford over affordable homes pan

Development bosses who are building homes on the former Staffordshire Police HQ site in Baswich, Stafford, want to build their allocation of affordable housing at another one of their developments off Doxey Road in Doxey.

This means the Doxey development will now become 196 homes, 90 of which will be affordable, if developer Bellway's plans are approved.

The proposal has sparked outrage from people who have said the plans will cause segregation.

A statement from Doxey Parish council said: "We are not against affordable housing, however we will continue to fight for a united community and not a segregated one and also opportunities for people to live in all areas of Stafford.

"The removal of affordable housing in Baswich takes away opportunities for people who cannot afford to live there by any other means and can force people from areas they’ve lived all their lives."

Doxey councillor Isabella Davies has had the application called in, meaning a decision on the proposal must be made by Stafford Borough Council's planning committee as opposed to being deferred to planning officers.

She said: "We have called it in because Doxey has already taken its fair shire of affordable housing. It will upset the housing planned on the development and will make it so tight people will be looking through each others windows.

"At the bowling green we had another 24 affordable homes and this will put it over 200 extra affordable homes. It is not acceptable."

In a report prepared with the application to move the affordable housing, Bellway said: "As part of the pre-application discussions between Stafford Borough Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner, it has been agreed that the affordable housing element of the proposed development at Weeping Cross shall be located off-site, but within the town of Stafford.

"Policy C2 of the adopted Stafford Borough Plan requires 30 per cent affordable housing, therefore the affordable requirement for the Weeping Cross site is to provide 38 affordable dwellings.

"In order to realise this, Bellway is proposing amendments to the existing planning permission at Doxey Road to incorporate the affordable element from Weeping Cross under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990."

Both Stafford Borough Council and Staffordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner insist what Bellway is proposing is lawful.

Will Conaghan, a spokesman for the borough council, said: “Building affordable housing in a different location to the development is not contrary to our policy.

"Each application submitted by a developer will be considered on its own merits ”

A spokesman for the police and crime commissioner for Staffordshire added: "The police and crime commissioner is aware of his obligations to both maximise value for the Baswich site and to provide for affordable housing as part of the deal.

"The proposal currently being considered meets both requirements."