Housing scheme changes approved

Councillors have approved planning changes to a new housing development – despite concerns over previous enforcement action. Developer Salboy asked for permission to make a number of changes to plans for 55 homes at Daisy Bank Farm in Upper Tean, which were originally approved in 2024.

Objectors to the new application, which includes changes to some of the house types and the internal road layout, raised concerns over alleged breaches of planning conditions. Officers at Staffordshire Moorland District Council have carried out enforcement action at the site, including issuing a temporary stop notice so concerns could be addressed.

But planning committee members at the district council voted to approve the application, in line with their officers’ recommendation.

Ward councillor Peter Wilkinson vacated the chair of the planning committee so that he could speak against the application. He said the development had started in breach of pre-commencement conditions relating to drainage, with key approvals only being secured after work had started.

Cllr Wilkinson said: “Approving this application would risk setting a clear precedent that developers can commence works in breach of pre-commencement conditions and rely on later applications to regularise the situation.”

Planning officers told the committee that enforcement action is a ‘separate process’ to the assessment of the current application. They recommended the application for approval saying that some of the changes would improve the development, for example by allowing more of the scheme’s roads to be adopted.

Members of the committee acknowledged the concerns over enforcement, saying it is ‘quite worrying’, but agreed with their officers’ recommendation.

Councillor Mark Johnson said: “Clearly there have been procedural and enforcement issues. It does raise concerns over what happens in the future, but that doesn’t affect what we’re looking at here. I’d agree with the officer that the layout is better.”