Plans for future development of Packmoor to be considered following major consultation

A new masterplan for Packmoor is set to be drawn up after a major consultation exercise with residents.

The council is set to make clear any future development of the site must deliver a wide range of improvements for local communities.

The masterplan would see the council develop specific proposals for the site, with direct community involvement through a new Packmoor Community Liaison Group - for which the Council is seeking community champions and representatives.

It would include plans to improve local roads, high-quality green space, cycle paths and better local centre facilities. Local services could be strengthened through the planning processes, including potential funding from developers for expanded NHS services.

And it would look to ensure that every effort was made not to impinge on the individual identities of surrounding communities, such as Packmoor, Brindley Ford and Fegg Hayes.

A series of community engagement events have been taking place over the last few months giving local people the chance to have their say on what improvements they would like in the village and surrounding area.

Hundreds of suggestions have been made on a series of topics including housing, better use of green space, more facilities – such as shops and healthcare - and improved roads and community safety.

The community engagement – which centres on 80 hectares of semi-rural land – has been carried out by consultants Augarde and Partners.

Consulting and Engineering experts Tetratech have also carried out a technical site assessment to gauge what could be feasibly developed.

Based on all the feedback and the two reports, the city council’s Cabinet will be asked to choose from three options:

*Develop a set of proposals for residential development as part of a masterplan

*In principle, market and dispose of developable parcels of the site to housebuilders (subject to statutory requirements)

*Do nothing

Moving forward, at all stages, residents will be consulted on any proposed plans and the council will work with local people to develop them.

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker – Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Regeneration – said: “We’re very grateful to the hundreds of people who have been involved in the community engagement over the last few months. Their feedback is absolutely vital in shaping any future plans for the site.

“I’ve always been clear that doing nothing is not an option. Families in Packmoor deserve better: better roads, better local services, better green spaces that bring people together.

“At the same time, we can’t ignore the reality that Stoke-on-Trent urgently needs more homes - good, affordable homes that work for working people. That means we have to plan with care, with purpose, and with the community at the heart of every decision.

“If we move forward with a masterplan, it will be grounded in what people have told us and it will be based on community involvement at every stage.”

The Augarde report can be read here: mgconvert2pdf.aspx