Plans for affordable housing on Stafford social club site rejected

Stafford Borough Council’s planning officers refused permission for demolition of Highfields Social Club and redevelopment to create 20 affordable homes because of concerns about overlooking and loss of privacy for some potential residents, as well as lack of bin storage facilities.

A previous proposal to build 18 homes for affordable rent and a new social club on the land at Barnes Road was put forward in 2019 but withdrawn the following year.

The latest application, submitted by Hodgkinson Builders Ltd, proposed a three-story block containing 12 flats, seven two-storey homes and a detached bungalow. All 20 properties were intended to be affordable housing.

The planning officers’ report said: “The proposal is welcomed by the council’s housing manager from a strategic housing perspective as it would deliver much needed affordable housing in Stafford. There is evidence of a strong demand for one-bed affordable housing and a need for three-bed affordable properties in the borough.

“Whilst the provision of 20 affordable dwellings in this sustainable location within Stafford is acceptable in principle, it is considered that there are a number of failings across the scheme. It is not considered that the provision of affordable housing outweighs the harm caused by the contrived design.

“In particular, the occupiers of ground floor apartments would benefit from insufficient outlook and occupiers of upper floor apartments would overlook the principal windows and gardens of the proposed dwellings, resulting in a significant loss of privacy.”

Councillor Angela Loughran raised concerns about over-intensification of the site and plans to connect to the existing drainage system. And residents submitted objections to Stafford Borough Council, for reasons including potential flooding to Manor Green, loss of trees on the banks of Rising Brook and loss of privacy due to the block of flats. They also said no replacement social club was proposed and a bungalow development would be better for the site.

A Manor Green resident said: “The block of flats will overlook our properties and will have a detrimental effect on the neighbouring conservation area. We are not against development of the site but why have a three storey block close to the border and having a dominating effect on our outlook?

“Given that our gardens are often waterlogged I am also concerned about potential flooding risks from the brook between the development and our properties. Having now seen the visualisations of the proposed flats they look hideous in terms of the mix or cladding and rendering – it will look like a huge office block at the end of our gardens.”

A Hambridge Close resident said: “Yet again the proposed development’s architectural design is to maximise profit for the developer, hence it is a high capacity development that would be suited to a high density area such as a town or city centre and not on the border of an established conservation area. The dwelling capacity is clearly too great for the plot size.

The development will have an affect on its neighbours on all sides by an increase of new residents, their vehicles and their day to day activities, increasing noise from them and their traffic. The parking spaces might be adequate for the residents but not for any visitors to the properties, so Barnes road will likely suffer with this parking increase.”

Seven letters of support were also sent to the council however. Supporters said the existing site was in an “unattractive state” and the social club had been in decline. They added that more affordable housing was much-needed and the development would improve the appearance of the site.

A Meadow Road resident said: “The current site has sadly now become a blot on the landscape. As a former resident of Highfields, I can certainly see why more affordable, modern housing is needed and welcome the new plans.

“I believe the dwellings will be an ideal addition to the estate.”

A Chase Road resident said: “It is about time some kind of investment was put into Highfields and this would be a brilliant project. New homes is a great use of what would otherwise turn to ruin and vandalism.

“Out with the old, in with the new.”