Residents in Baddeley Green and surrounding neighbourhoods turned out in force to question revised housing allocations contained in Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s emerging local plan, as the authority prepares for a final round of public consultation this summer.
What the plan would mean locally
The local plan, which will steer development in the city until 2040, reflects a Government requirement that Stoke-on-Trent provides for 19,040 new homes by that year. The latest consultation period runs from 3 August to 14 September and will be the final opportunity for residents and organisations to make representations before the document is submitted for independent inspection.
At a meeting in Baddeley Green, people were given details of the allocations earmarked for the Baddeley, Milton and Norton ward. The figures for several sites differ substantially from earlier versions of the plan, prompting fresh concern from local people who say the scale and siting of development are inappropriate for areas at risk of flooding and for established communities.
Residents' objections and elected members' response
Attendees emphasised flooding risk and the perceived unfair concentration of building in particular wards. Councillor Dave Evans attended the meeting and set out his view of how the current consultation differs from previous exercises, arguing that changes made last year produced some reductions but left communities still facing major development pressures.
"We did have some victories last year – it wasn't for nothing. Norton Green had their allocation reduced so they were going to be subject to 3,000 houses. They are still getting smashed but only by 500... The plan says we shouldn't build where it floods, the plan says that Baddeley Green is a hot-spot for flooding but then the plan also puts a site in Baddeley Green that floods into it, so it's not sound."
He reminded residents that the next stage is a public examination by a planning inspector, an independent process that will test the plan's soundness against national planning policy.
Site allocations in the ward
Below are the principal allocations discussed at the meeting:
- Redhills Road – 747 homes (previously 188)
- Old Royal Doulton site – 138 homes (unchanged)
- Chatterley Whitfield – 1,750 homes (previously 1,500)
- Norton Green South – 270 homes (previously 2,278)
- Norton Green North – 250 homes (previously 819)
| Site | Current allocation | Previous allocation |
|---|---|---|
| Redhills Road | 747 | 188 |
| Old Royal Doulton | 138 | 138 |
| Chatterley Whitfield | 1,750 | 1,500 |
| Norton Green South | 270 | 2,278 |
| Norton Green North | 250 | 819 |
How residents can take part
The council’s consultation invites representations on whether the plan has been positively prepared, whether it is justified and effective, and whether it aligns with national planning policy. Members of the public are advised to read the supporting documentation published by the council and to make their submissions within the consultation window.
Residents spoken to at the meeting said they intend to focus objections on flood risk, the cumulative impact of development on local infrastructure and the distribution of housing across the city. Campaigners previously lodged around 3,000 complaints in response to earlier proposals affecting Baddeley, Milton and Norton.
The council will compile responses and, if it proceeds, submit the plan to the Planning Inspectorate for a public examination later in the year. That stage will determine whether the plan is legally compliant and sound before it can be adopted and used to determine planning applications.
Given the scale of the housing requirement set by central government, the debate in Stoke-on-Trent reflects the challenges facing many local authorities trying to reconcile development targets with local concerns about flood risk, landscape change and community impact.
