You will be aware that the threat to Burntwood’s surrounding greenbelt came from the previous government’s pressure on the West Midlands Regional Assembly to set a high target for the number of new homes to be built in Lichfield District over the next sixteen years.

The new coalition government appears to have a completely different approach to how the country should satisfy its need for new homes in the foreseeable future. On 30th May Eric Pickles, the new Communities Secretary said:

“The previous government gave the green light for the destruction of the Green Belt across the country and we are determined to stop it. We’ve promised to use legislation to scrap top-down building targets that are eating up the Green Belt but I’m not going to make communities wait any longer to start making decisions for themselves. That’s why I have written to all councils to let them know that from today they can make planning decisions in the knowledge that Regional Strategies will soon be history.

“It will no longer be possible to concrete over large swathes of the country without any regard to what local people want. From now on communities will be trusted to make the right decisions.”

At present Lichfield District Council is unsure about how its Local Development Framework will progress. Last week Councillor Neil Roberts, Cabinet Member for Development, said:

“…. we are awaiting formal guidance from the new government that will shape the way housing and development plans are created for the District and specifically how housing numbers will be determined.”

Despite this apparent good news, some landowners are out to make a quick buck and developers find it easier to build on green fields than on previously developed land. For these reasons we must remain vigilant and the Action group will remain in existence to monitor development plans and fight any that threaten our surroundings. We will, however, continue to work constructively with LDC to help to identify previously used land which could be used for new homes.

Health Centre Update
Outline plans for two new health centres at Greenwood House and Burntwood Leisure Centre sites have been passed by the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and the Primary Care Trust (PCT). Jim Barlow, Primary Care Manager said “The consultation exercise confirmed consistent support for the preferred site options” and he thanked everyone who took part in it. The PCT will now produce a full business case for the developments and if this is approved by the SHA a developer will be appointed to start work in the autumn of 2010, with 2013 as the target for opening. The two new multipurpose buildings will house GP surgeries, offices for PCT staff and facilities for Social care, Mental Health, Children and Lifelong Learning and voluntary organisations.

Burntwood Tip
You will probably have read in the local press about Staffordshire County Council’s plan to close Burntwood’s Household Waste Recycling Centre at Chase Terrace and local councillors’ campaign to have the decision rescinded. Our committee supports realistic moves to cut wasteful council spending but is unanimous in supporting this campaign to keep the ‘tip’ because:
•    The site is much more convenient for Burntwood residents than alternatives at Cannock, Lichfield or Rugeley.
•    Negotiating weekend traffic to the Poplars site in Cannock or the Trent Valley site in Lichfield can already add over an hour to the job of dumping a few bulky items.
•    Fly tipping already scars some of our surrounding countryside and this would probably worsen the situation.
•    Local residents and councillors have not been consulted about this proposal and have been treated with contempt by county officials.
•    This is one more example of Burntwood residents being treated as second class citizens when facilities are being provided from local taxation.

If, like us, you feel strongly about this issue please add your name to the petitions. These are available at Morrisons and some other local stores.

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Lichfield District Council has informed us that, since 2006, the recorded number of new homes built in Burntwood & Hammerwich is 107. At April 2009 66 Homes were under construction and 56 homes had received planning permission. This gives a total of 229 new houses in our area over the past 3 years.

Lichfield District Council has also identified locations for approximately 300 new dwellings on brownfield sites in Burntwood and Hammerwich. However, this figure is subject to further investigation and will be confirmed in the updated Strategic Housing Land Assessment which is due to be published in mid December 2009.

All of these figures exclude London & Cambridge Properties site on the Chasewater Industrial Estate opposite and beyond Morrisons Supermarket. We understand that negotiations between London & Cambridge Properties and Lichfield District Council could result in excess of 300 homes being built on this site. It is most important for the preservation of our greenbelt that these negotiations result in the land being allocated for housing and included in the final LDF Core Strategy.

We will endeavour to monitor all developments and continue a dialogue with the Lichfield District Council, at all levels, to ensure that Burntwood and Hammerwich are allocated sensible, realistic new housing targets to 2026 without the use of any of our greenbelt.

In proposing the setting up of an alliance and hosting the inaugural meeting our aims were to provide a forum for:

• Sharing ideas and developing strategies to present a coherent and unified case to Lichfield District Council for the preservation of Lichfield District’s green land.

• Ensuring that actions taken by member Groups were mutually supportive and never contradictory.

These aims are unchanged and our decision to withdraw from the Alliance is based solely on the manner in which the new Alliance was set up and is now run.

The attached document sets out our views which were to be presented to the Alliance Meeting on 5th August, hosted by South Lichfield Residents Group. We were not allowed to present our case and, to avoid an even more uncomfortable situation, withdrew from the meeting.

Having decided that we are unable to work with individuals who believe they have a right to dictate policy and have little regard for democratic procedures we are pleased to see that the press release, informing the public of the new Alliance, has been written largely according to our advice.

The letter addressed to individual Councillors, which we counselled against, is toned down from the original draft but its hostile, dictatorial tone still makes it unlikely to generate a positive response. Also the integrity of the Council Leader is still questioned. We completely disassociate ourselves from this letter.

Burntwood and Hammerwich Action Group has stayed within the Alliance but will maintain its individuality and will continue to work with us to present a unified front against development on our surrounding green land.

We are saddened to have left the Alliance in the hands of those who adopt a bludgeoning approach to negotiation. but give Burntwood people the assurance that we will continue to fight, on their behalf, to keep as much as possible of our surrounding green land. We will always try to lobby for support using well researched and reasoned arguments and welcome any constructive ideas from residents.

The winners were Frayer Webster-Mayhew from Highfields and Emily Poxon from Fulfen. Highly Commended were Will Gould, Naomi Wragg, Harry Barker, Madie Fox and Georgia Bailey from Fulfen. Unfortunately Emily Poxon, Will Gould and Georgia Bailey were not present to receive their prizes.

In the first photo below Frayer Webster-Mayhew receives her award. In the second Madie Fox (left), Harry Barker (centre) and Naomi Wragg (right) receive their certificates at Fulfen. Click each image to see them individually, then once again for the full size.

Well done to everyone and thanks for taking part!

Emily Poxon , Will Gould and Georgia Bailey were not present to receive their prizes.

Attached are photographs of Frayer Webster-Mayhew at Highfields and Madie Fox (left), Harry Barker (centre) and Naomi Wragg (right) at Fulfen.