URGENT CALL TO ACTION: 1,405 Homes Facing Secret Planning Decisions — Tell Your Ward Councillor to Vote NO!

Burntwood is currently facing an unprecedented threat of 1,405 proposed homes across five major sites:

Highfields Road (Cameron Homes — Ref: 26/00236/OUTMEI): 450 homes
Land North of Lichfield Road (Miller Homes): 350 homes
Coulter Lane (Bloor Homes — Ref: 25/01485/OUTM): 250 homes
Rake Hill / Meg Lane (Anwyl Land — Ref: 26/00630/OUTM): 225 homes
Rugeley Road / Coulter Lane (Barratt Homes): 130 homes

On Monday night, Lichfield District Council (LDC) planning officers persuaded the Planning Committee to vote 10–0 for a new “Scheme of Delegation.”

While planners called it a routine update, they let slip a devastating truth on camera: If outline permission is granted for any development under 500 homes, elected councillors are legally barred from ever voting on detailed drainage, road safety, crime warnings, or site layouts again. Every single detail will be signed off behind closed doors by unelected officers.

The 500-Home Trap: Every Single Burntwood Site is Included

Look at the numbers above: Every single one of Burntwood’s five threat sites is under 500 homes.

If our councillors vote to approve outline plans for any of these sites, they are legally voting to silence themselves forever.

Here is the vital news: Monday’s vote was ONLY a recommendation. It is NOT LAW YET. The scheme must still be formally voted on and adopted by the Full Council (all 30+ district councillors).

We have a narrow window to stop this power-grab and protect our town.

What We Expect Our Ward Councillors to Do

When Full Council meets, we need our elected representatives to stand up for Burntwood and:

Vote REJECT or DEFER on the Scheme of Delegation until proper local safeguards and parish consultations are put in place.
Keep All Burntwood Developments in Public Committee so decisions are made openly in front of residents—not in private officer rooms.
Stop Conflicts of Interest by ensuring officers linked to LDC’s commercial company (LWMTS) cannot make private decisions on major developments.

✉️ YOUR 1-MINUTE ACTION: Copy, Paste & Send This Email Today!

Find your LDC Ward Councillor’s email address on the Lichfield District Council website, copy the short template below, add your details, and hit send today!

SUBJECT: URGENT: Protect local democracy — Vote NO on the Scheme of Delegation (1,405 Burntwood homes)

Dear Councillor [Insert Name],

I am writing as a constituent regarding the proposed Scheme of Delegation heading to Full Council.

Burntwood is facing 1,405 proposed homes across five sites (Highfields Road, Lichfield Road, Coulter Lane, Rake Hill, and Rugeley Road).

Because every single site is under 500 homes, adopting this delegation scheme means that if outline permission is granted, elected councillors will lose all legal power to vote on detailed drainage, layout, road safety, and environmental impacts at Reserved Matters.

Before Full Council meets, I urge you to commit to:

Voting REJECT or DEFER on the Scheme of Delegation until final national rules are published and proper safeguards are added.
Demanding that all major developments across Burntwood remain strictly within the public Planning Committee’s jurisdiction.

Please reply and let me know your public position on this vote before Full Council meets.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address & Postcode]

Burntwood Stands Firm!

Planners wanted to slip these changes through quietly. By flooding their inboxes today, we will make sure every ward councillor knows Burntwood is watching their vote.

Share this post, email your councillor, and let’s protect our Green Belt together!

Prepared by the Burntwood Action Group Strategic Policy Team.
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