Stafford residents have won a battle to stop two more assisted living bungalows being added to a development in Moss Pit – for now. There are already eight bungalows at the St Peter’s Gardens site, which provide homes for people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions.
But Key Developments’ bid to knock down garages to make way for two more bungalows met with objections from neighbours, who said there had been a rise in antisocial behaviour such as swearing, racist language, screaming, shouting and aggression. Some said they no longer felt able to use their own gardens or allow their children out to play.
Stafford Borough Council rejected the application in October 2023 because of concerns the extra bungalows would result in an over intensification of the site, resulting in detrimental impacts to wellbeing of neighbouring residents due to lack of on site parking and anti-social behaviour. A second – almost identical – application later came forward but was also refused permission by the council’s planning committee in June, for the same reasons as the previous proposal.
Appeals were launched against both decisions. The later application is due to be considered by a planning inspector this year – but the appeal against the October 2023 decision has been dismissed.
Planning inspector Hannah Ellison said in her report that the main issue was the effect of the proposed two bungalows on “the living conditions of neighbouring residential occupiers, with particular regard to the demand for parking, and noise and disturbance resulting from anti-social behaviour”. She went on a visit to the site as part of her consideration of the case.
She said: “I did not observe any incidents of noise and disturbance and I was also able to take advantage of numerous places to park on-street along St Peter’s Gardens. I nevertheless appreciate that my site visit was just a snapshot in time and that the evidence before me suggests there has been incidents of noise and disturbance resulting from anti-social behaviour as well as parking stress on the surrounding roads.
“Many representations received from local residents make reference to incidents whereby residents of the existing assisted living development have been verbally abusive to other local residents, as well as times when noise has been disruptive to the daily lives of those living nearby. The concerns raised by local residents are supported by the Community Protection Warning (CPW) which was recently issued to the appellant.
“The appellant has outlined management practices adopted in the existing development and has also suggested that they are contesting the CPW. Regardless, there is no conclusive evidence before me to confirm that such approaches have ensured the actions set out in the CPW have been adhered to, that incidents have been appropriately managed or that the CPW has been overturned.”
Planning officers at Stafford Borough Council had previously recommended the bungalow proposals be approved. A representative of care provider Aspirations told councillors at a planning committee meeting that measures have been taken to reduce noise for neighbouring properties – and demand remained high in Staffordshire for the supported accommodation so that local service users did not have to move out of the area and away from their families.
Ms Ellison said the bungalows would provide a “clear social benefit” and the development “generate economic benefits during construction and on subsequent occupation.” She added: “The proposal would also improve the appearance of this derelict site, although I am not convinced the development before me is the only way in which the site could be improved.”
But she concluded: “The proposal would harm the living conditions of neighbouring residential occupiers. This harm leads to conflict with the development plan as a whole and there are no other considerations which indicate a decision should be made other than in accordance with it; therefore the appeal should be dismissed.”
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