Staffordshire homes may be ‘flattened’ without retrospective planning permission from council: report

A number of homes on a 125-property estate in Cheadle, Staffordshire could be demolished if a council refuses to give the developer retrospective planning permission.

The developer, Persimmon Homes, built 125 homes on the ‘Pottery Gardens’ estate and raised the ground level by 2.4 metres to make the site flat.

According to StokeonTrentLive, a planning meeting discovered that the houses have been built “2.4-metres higher than expected”, causing complaints from neighbours who have described some of the new homes as “overbearing” and “blocking sunlight”.

Persimmon has applied for retrospective planning permission to keep the houses as they are.

The chairman of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's planning committee has warned that if permission is refused, some of those living on the estate could see their properties flattened.

According to the council, planners have deferred a decision so “talks can take place with residents”.

Chairman Cllr Stephen Ellis said in a meeting: “It really is an unacceptable situation to be in, to have a committee have to consider that your brand new house - your home and your asset - could be flattened, it must be absolutely horrendous. I can’t believe we’ve placed either set of residents in this situation. I do feel angry in the way that Persimmon has done that.”

Speaking to the BBC, Cheadle town councillor Paulette Upton said: "The plain fact is the developers have blatantly breached the planning permission and we seem to have allowed that to happen.

"Somebody needs to take accountability for this, it sends a shocking message to other developers that they can come to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, put in a planning application and do what the hell they like."

Persimmon has been approached for comment.

Lottie Winson