Green light to clear 'historic' site

Ex-factory set to become 114 homes

- Sentinel Reporter

AN historic North Staffordshire factory building is to make way for more than 100 new homes.

Councillors have given the green light for the Stonefield Works site in Oulton Road, Stone, to be cleared ready for redevelopment.

Stafford Borough Council's planning committee had delayed a decision on the the site - the town's last link to its shoemaking heritage - in October after questions were asked about whether part of the historic building could be retained and used in the proposed housing development.

But now the application, put forward by Hitachi Energy UK Limited, has been approved subject to conditions.

The application sought outline consent for demolition of existing buildings and redevelopment to provide up to 114 homes and public open space. More detailed proposals are set to come forward in a reserved matters application at a later date.