PERSIMMON Homes has submitted a planning application for 960 new homes in Brockhill East off Weights Lane.
The application consists of outline planning for 832 homes and specific planning for 128.
However if granted, Redditch Borough Council won’t receive a penny of the fee as more than 50 per cent of the homes are on Bromsgrove District Council’s land.
Borough Council Leader Matt Dormer said: “I would love the money to be split between the two authorities but unfortunately that’s not going to happen, and there is no wiggle room.
“Bromsgrove would get the lot and we would be left with nothing which, in all honesty, I’m not very happy about.
“However the bottom line is we need more housing.
“We want to work with, and encourage, Persimmon but we have unfinished business with them first which needs addressing.”
That refers to the cash sum – more than £500,000 – Persimmon owes the borough council.
Last October the Standard highlighted how Persimmon Homes had for 20 years failed to hand over the ‘Section 106’ money, cash paid by a developer to mitigate the impact of new homes on a local community.
In February we reported how Persimmon still hadn’t handed over all the assets, including open spaces, street lights and land, along with the money, meaning the local environment was outside borough control and falling into disrepair.
“The situation cannot got on indefinitely,” said Coun Dormer. “There are considerable sums outstanding from different sites which need finalising.
“I’m fully aware that the County Council has already been paid for some of the sites but we haven’t yet.”
Persimmon said there’s been a ‘difference in understanding’ regarding the payments.
A spokesman said: “Our records on adopted areas do not reconcile with the council’s records.
“We are fully committed to resolving the legal matters associated with the adoptions at the Brockhill development and appreciate the frustrations felt by residents.
“We are keen to have an all-party meeting at the earliest convenience to review payments and hopefully bring this matter to a conclusion.”
Persimmon says it would like planning permission granted for this latest development by early 2020.
To view the planning application, go to the planning section of the council website and type in the reference number 19/00976/HYB.
