Your District Council (South Staffs DC) has included in their ‘Publication Plan’ a new development for houses between Wildwood and Acton Trussell on Acton Hill. This is presently for 81 houses, with a claim that future development will not be increased, but the original application, by the same developer, was for many more houses stretching from Wildwood to the existing boundaries of Acton Trussell.

• Do we want initially 81 new homes at the top of Acton Hill adjacent to Wildwood? Wildwood and Stafford Borough Council do not, neither do the Parish Council.
• Effectively this would make our Parish part of Stafford, it would destroy pristine farmland that has been part of our countryside since the Earls of Lichfield owned most of the land in the Parish and which links Cannock Chase to the Penk Valley for wildlife and diversity.
• It would increase traffic over Acton Hill and through the Parish.
• Stafford Borough oppose it. Your Parish Council oppose it. It is sadly supported by many SSDC Councillors from south of the district who have the benefit of a wider distribution of green belt than we do, despite the nature of this land and its pristine nature and importance.
• These 81 homes were included in the 2022 Local Plan when Central Government requirements dictated that the Plan included 4000 dwellings provided for the West Midlands adjoining authorities. The SSDC target in their 2022 Plan for new housing was 9089. Most of this was into those villages that have established facilities and services. This included significant developments near to the SSDC boundaries to meet much of this provision. These requirements were changed in December 2022; it is no longer mandatory for SSDC to provide these houses. ALL of the planned developments near the edges of the SSDC area were deleted by the time of the 2024 except the 81 houses (for now) at Wildwood/Acton Hill.
• The SSDC 2024 target is now for 4726 dwellings, but there are 5199 in the Plan; they plan to exceed their own target by 473 which includes the 81 houses (for now) at Wildwood/Acton Hill. WHY?

Things you can do to have your say:-

1. See the local plan: https://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-04/publication_plan_2024_v2.pdf  See Pages 31 and 235 of the Plan.  SSDC has called the location ‘Weeping Cross’; do not be confused, it is Acton Hill/Wildwood. IF this is permitted to stay in the Plan, further developments are inevitable down Acton Hill, over the existing farm and arable land to the Parish Community Centre.
2. Come to OUR public Meetings:
   • Jointly with Stafford at the Boat Club at Wildwood 7pm May 8
   • In the Parish Community Centre Date 6pm May 10
3. Book to participate in the SSDC public meetings Haling Dene May 7 or online May 8: Call 01902 696423; be polite, the staff are lovely.  Learn what SSDC wish to tell you.
4. COMMENT before Friday May 31, 2024. Best to comment on their form LPR PB2 attached. IF you need assistance contact a Parish Councillor; we will assist. Come to the meetings.

Remember, it is simple:

1. Do we want initially 81 new homes at the top of Acton Hill adjacent to Wildwood? Wildwood and Stafford Borough Council do not, neither do the Parish Council.                 
2. SSDC do not need these houses, their plan exceeds their own requirements by 473! Why? Why here?
3. This would likely lead to as many as 500+ homes being built (the original proposal from the same developer) all the way down Acton Hill to the present village boundary, do we want this?

IF not, we ALL need to mobilise and object. If YOU do not, there is a good chance that it WILL happen.

Residents cannot expect the Parish Council alone to fight this battle. This could, initially, seriously impact Acton Trussell; in the long term it is an existential threat to Acton Trussell as a village and the whole Parish as part of South Staffordshire. Perhaps not in our lifetime, but certainly the younger generations in the Parish who should not simply sit back and assume that we will do all the work, alone, to protect their future.

Thank you

Your Parish Council