Posted on Monday 23rd May 2022
Philip White
A new train station for a proposed Garden Community in Stafford Borough has taken a step forward after receiving Government backing.
The planned site for the north of the borough could see thousands of new homes, schools, health provision, transport links, employment areas and excellent digital connectivity.
Now the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has announced the site, at Cold Meece near Stone, is to receive £330,000 to help prepare plans - with the majority of funding earmarked to look at rail infrastructure.
The money is part of the national Garden Communities programme which aims to help level up the country and regenerate communities, with most of the new homes situated in the North, Midlands and Southwest.
Staffordshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, Philip White, said:
We’re committed with Stafford Borough Council and other partners to ensure the Meecebrook development is sustainable with careful and considered planning, and so we welcome this additional funding from Government to help us achieve this.
We want to get the best deal for our communities through building new schools, road improvements with cycle and walking facilities and installation of digital technology, including gigabit broadband and 5G mobile connectivity.
And as we rebuild our economy after the pandemic this development must have the highest architectural standards and support our net zero ambitions.”
Frances Beatty, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Planning at Stafford Borough Council, said the latest award was further demonstration of the confidence in the local authority and its partners to deliver such a major project.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for this borough to deliver a new community which we want to be the blueprint for best practice in so many fields such as the environment, transport, education and housing. And it is great news to see we have been successful in securing additional funding to investigate the feasibility of a new railway station on the West Coast Mainline for the proposed Garden Community.”
The latest cash brings the total investment from the government for the Meecebrook project to nearly £1.5m. Stafford Borough Council received an initial £750,000 in 2019 and was one of only five local authorities - out of 150 submissions - to be successful in their bid for funds to explore the possibility of a garden settlement.
The council say they will be working closely with the DLUHC to discuss priorities for the new funding for the Garden Community – which has a working title of Meecebrook. Preliminary studies have already been undertaken in key infrastructure - such as highway improvements, water and energy provision - to support a sustainable development.
The scheme is to be considered as part of the council’s new local plan process 2020-2040.
Councillor Beatty added:
This is another step further towards creating a new garden community in the north of the borough. As the proposal progresses it would be part of the local plan process and subject to detailed consultation with residents.”
The investment brings total funding for the national Garden Communities programme to more than £69 million. It will also support nearly 200,000 jobs in the schools, shops and offices developed within each Garden Community, part of the Government’s drive to help people secure good jobs where they live, grow the economy and tackle the cost of living.
Housing Minister Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP said:
Building beautiful new homes in the places they are most needed lies at the heart of the Government’s levelling up mission.
Garden villages and towns are perfect examples of the vibrant, green communities we want to see right across the country and today’s funding will allow us to work hand-in-hand with local leaders and industry to deliver the high-quality new homes that we need.”