Plans For 72 Homes Near Trentham Refused As Councillors Reject 'Grey Belt' Claim

Plans for up to 72 homes on Green Belt land in Barlaston, near Trentham, have been refused after councillors rejected the applicant's argument that the site should count as "grey belt".

The outline application, reference 25/40885/OUT, proposed homes on land between Old Road and the Trent & Mersey Canal. It went before Stafford Borough Council's planning committee on Wednesday 30 September, where councillors voted to refuse it.

The applicant argued the land should qualify as grey belt, which is Green Belt land that national planning rules can treat as suitable for building. The committee rejected that argument and refused the plans because of the harm the development would cause to the Green Belt.

Local residents had raised concerns about the plans, and community representatives have thanked everyone who sent in their views and objections.

In June, the same committee refused a separate bid for up to five homes on land west of Old Road, also rejecting a grey belt claim. That site had been refused four times before.

Lead photo: Canalside pasture near Old Road Bridge, Barlaston, by Roger D Kidd, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.