This week's Town Council's Development Services Committee Meeting saw residents attending en masse. Not as you might expect for a new planning application, or two, but to seek support for past problems which SMDC has yet to address.
Residents from both sides of the Froghall Road, Persimmon's Homes development had independently complained to the Local Government and Social care Ombudsman, to investigate the Staffordshire Moorlands Planning Department, urging them to protect residents from over height buildings, unstable earth banks and roads built too close to homes.
The Ombudsman's findings are alarming, reports state that the developer issued plans that were incomplete, but the department allowed the developer to go ahead and build anyway. The planning department broke the law regarding the 13 week application rule and did not enforce action against the developer who breached the planning condition. Following the ruling, affected residents contacted SMDC who failed again to implement the Ombudsman's rulings in a timely manner. Residents felt unheard, and decided to bring this back to their local council for support. Councillor Bernie Charlesworth raised it on their behalf and as a result a letter will be sent to the scrutiny committee at SMDC, the head of the planning department, and head of SMDC, to ask what changes have been made to stop this disaster from happening again?
The Developer has now issued a retrospective planning application to address some of the issues in particular the construction of an engineered retaining wall to prevent the over-height houses earth mass sliding into the existing residents homes. This is critical to plan properly, or Cheadle may experience a repeat of the High Street landslide incident, if substantial remedial action is not taken. This puts lives and property at risk.There are also still a few doubts regarding the reinstatement of Cheadle 39 footpath that winds through the building site which has been closed for a long time.
If speedy and appropriate action is not taken by the District Council then we are informed that the residents and their local councillor are prepared to take it back to the government for intervention. Let us hope for a good response for everyone's sake.
Cheadle Town Council Reacts to Wrong Doings at SMDC Planning last updated 23.10.24
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