Mr. D. Boulton (Clerk to the Council)

Telephone and Fax: 01782 503918

E-mail:

Freepost RRLJ-XCTC-JBZK

Forward Plans,

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council,

Regeneration Management,

Moorlands House,

Stockwell Street,

Leek, Staffs.

ST13 6HQ. 13th June 2016

Dear Sir,

Re:Site options and Development Boundaries Consultation

Enclosed is the Parish Council’s response to latest site option proposals for the draft Local Plan which is based on an extended questionnaire which was handed to all Endon residents who attended the open meeting arranged by S.M.D.C. on Friday 27th May. For this meeting the Parish Council had also prepared its own local plan showing the Parish Council’s preferred options for approximately 64 houses in Endon. The Plan was on display at the meeting and formed part of the questionnaire. Prior to the meeting representatives of the Parish Council had discussed these proposals with Mark James and David Davies. A copy of the plan is also enclosed with our response.

The Parish Council received back 76 responses and as a result of these and our own consultations, the Parish Council’s recommendation for new housing in Endon is as follows:-

EN012

The vast majority of residents is against this site for the following reasons:-

(a)There would be considerable increase in traffic volume. An additional 24 dwellings would generate at least 24 extra vehicles (many households have 2 cars and some 3).

The already congested estate roads needed to access the site are only 4.83 metres wide and many vehicles often need to mount the pavement in order to pass.

(b)The onlyaccess to the site from the A53 is via Hillswood Drive and High View Road. Due to the complexityof the roads at these points (Clay Lake intersection, Station Road and Church Lane) access from Hillswood Drive and High View Road onto the A53 is nearly unmanageable at times of heavy traffic on the A53.

(c)The current storm water drainage is inadequate and the only way this water could be taken from the site is via the Hillswood drill which is culverted below the A53. This has been the subject of a CCTV survey by Staffordshire County Council who have already admitted that the existing culvert is badly damaged and totally undersized to cope with the current volume of water. There is no way it could handle any increased capacity.

(d)The site is currently designated Green belt and any development of this site would constitute skyline development and have considerable visual impact.

(e)There is currently a total of 1,270 pupils in the three Endon schools, many of whom live on the estate and walk to and from school. Adding to this number, together with the additional vehicles which 24 more dwellings would generate, would turn a currently hazardous situation into a potentially disastrous one.

(f)EN012 acts as a vital soakaway and any development on this land would exacerbate Endon’s renowned flooding difficulties. The Parish Council, together with local residents, is currently working with The National Flood Forum to try to ameliorate some of the natural features which characterise our village landscape and continually cause Endon to flood. Soakaway land is one of the few bonuses we have.

(g)From our own survey, 63% of the response was against the use of this site

EN033 and EN126

These two sites are included on our own development plan as being suitable for development and from our own survey were supported by 54% of the electorate with 13% against.

However, should the sites be developed we would like the following points to be addressed:-

(a)With site EN126 the conservation area to the canal frontage must be respected and enhanced.

(b)The junction of Station Road with the A53 must be improved as this is hazardous and very difficult when making an exit from Station Road at all times of the day.

EN128

This site has received a large number of objections and in our own survey 60% of people were against it. People still consider it contributes considerably to the open and semi-rural nature of the neighbourhood. There is no clear access available at present as Stoney Lane is unadopted and in the ownership of a large number of residents. However, the main objections relate to traffic congestion. Brookfield Avenue, which is the only adopted road to serve the Hazelwood Road estate, is situated between two schools and as such it is used as a car park with a precarious corner at the top which is used as a turning space. Despite having single yellow lines, cars are parked both on the road and the pavement. Brookfield Avenue, for lengthy periods during the school day, is hazardous to motorists, dangerous to pedestrians i.e. school children and frustrating to residents who cannot exit or access their own property at such times. Any further development would only increase this already volatile situation and create further problems with traffic in this area and ultimate access to the congested A53. In addition Stoney Lane, on the definitive map, is a bridleway and would become a danger to ramblers and horse riders if traffic was to increase significantly.

Endon desperately requires a communal car park to solve the enormous parking problems in the village during school hours. A far better solution for site EN0128 would be for it to be used as a dedicated playing field for St.Luke’s Primary School and the present playing field to be converted into a communal landscaped car park for use by the primary and high schools. The sites lend themselves to this use as EN0128 is immediately to the rear of St.Luke’s Primary School and readily accessible whilst the present playing field fronts the A53 with the frontage long enough to create in and out entrance and exit.

This solution is shown on our own development plan and would solve immediately the biggest single problem and the current cause of tremendous unrest in Endon.

Endon Parish Council’s Development Plan

The aim of our own plan is, with the exception of sites EN033 and EN126, is to break the total development down into smaller infill sites spread throughout the village generally. Breaking the numbers down into smaller sites has the following advantages:-

(a)The current character of the village is retained.

(b)There is considerably less strain upon all the existing infrastructure as the sites are so diversified.

(c)All the sites proposed are either extensions to or are immediately adjacent to areas of existing housing and as such will fit into the village streetscape without the need for new major estates.

From our own survey 76% of the public support our plans whilst 4% were against.

We hope we have now given you a further clear indication of local views and opinions for the site options and based on these views you will reflect public opinion as the plan moves forward.

We would be grateful if you would acknowledge receipt of both this document and our own development plan.

Yours faithfully,

J.E. Sambrook (Chairman)Endon with Stanley Parish Council

S. Sillitoe (Vice Chairman)Endon with Stanley Parish Council

Unit 1B, Station Buildings, Station Site, Station Road, Endon, Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 9DR