A new for sale sign adorns the fence of the G&D site this morning: James Du Pavey. By our reckoning they are the third lot of estate agents to try their hand at selling the plot.
By all accounts, the site has already been sold subject to contract on two previous occasions so what's the problem? What's the stumbling block that's preventing completion? What dark secret does the land hold that only comes to light when potential buyers look at the fine detail? And will James Du Pavey have any more luck than Butters John Bee and Daniel & Hulme?
The site is now on the market at £625k so it looks like the owners have reduced their price a bit but will it be enough to overcome whatever secret lurks beneath the rubble of what used to be the pub? Only time will tell.
We wish the good folks at James Du Pavey all the best with this one. The saga has gone on long enough.
Friday, 23 May 2014
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Building on the land is not as straightforward as one would imagine. The area where the cellar was would need steel supporting girders and possibly a cement infill to make the houses built there safe from subsidence. Not cheap...
ReplyDeletePerhaps at almost £100k per plot,and a rather small plot at that,the developers have realised that the economic case isn`t there ? Looking at what similar size properties are going for locally will they be pitching them at sub £300k prices ?
ReplyDeleteGiving circa £200k left in the price model (assuming anyone will pay £300k ) there doesn`t seem a lot of profit does there ?
Methinks that the economic case is poor,notwithstanding they have to find buyers for "executive" houses shoehorned on the small site.
I see on the news that the developers friend Stafford Council is pushing through building 20 social houses on greenbelt land somewhere along Hilderstone road in Meir Heath,again despite the high level of rejection of the plans by local residents.
ReplyDeleteI confess that I have only just caught up with this and would have liked to add the Rough Close perspective to the list of those rejecting this as I recall a number of Meir Heath names (those not in hock to the Davis`s of course) were against the G & D shambles.
We must be ever vigilant on the G&D site as it is obvious that Stafford Council have no interest in the views expressed by local residents when they are pursuing their own agenda of "lets make everywhere in the borough look like Stafford Highfields estate" !
If a developer to put the 7 houses there can`t be found let us not be surprised if the Developers friend comes up with something similar to their gift to Meir Heath !!
Why have we not heard of these plans from County,Borough or Parish councils ? Its not like we don`t have lots of councillors supposed to "represent" us.
You're absolutely right. One of the biggest learning points for me in all of the sorry saga of the G&D is the role of the Borough Council's planning dept. I thought (naively as it turns out) that they would be there to assist local residents.
ReplyDeleteHow wrong can you be! During one of our conversations, the case officer told me that their role was to "make sure the planning application got through". As for residents, I'm afraid its down to them to take whatever action they can.
Another learning point has been the use of the term "consultation" with local residents. Given our experiences, I can only assume this means sending out notices about planning applications and then ignoring the replies. I can ony wish the residents of Hilderstone Road the very best of luck.
And local government don`t understand why they are viewed with such contempt.The previous contribution explains why !
ReplyDeleteWe hear all the public sector buzz words.......Engagement,Consultation,Representation etc. And then they (whoever this remote body actually is) just carry on with their agenda regardless.
What is the point in local government ? It certainly isn`t local democracy.
I have just come back from Stafford shopping and hear that SBC is at its tricks again. This time the old Rickerscote Arms is about to be bulldozed for housing despite overwhelming rejection of the plans by the local community.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem that it isn`t just Rough Close people that SBC stab in the back !
Following on from this other example in Rickerscote. I see from the Newsletter that the Council strikes again on its many different agendas .
ReplyDeleteNow it would seem that the plans have been rejected because "it is a community asset" and "its a developer trying to shoehorn too many properties onto the site to make a profit"
Does that ring a bell in Rough Close ?
It would seem that for a Stafford pub,but not a Rough Close one,Councillors think that the community should make a bid for this community asset (obviously with zero chance of planning permission at a much lower price),and it not get bulldozed.
Odd isn`t it that a unanimous Councillor vote went in favour of saving this Stafford pub ? Rather different than when a very similar circumstance applied for a Rough Close pub !
Wonder why the Councillors,including the Fulford ones couldn`t be bothered with this solution for the G&D ?
Hopeless Council,hapless Councillors,Multiple personal agendas.
Although it's too late for the G &D HISTORIC BUILDING ,1834 that once was, there are many lessons for Staffordshire residents and councillors ere. Not to ever forget the mistakes made that have affected many and the long term implications for all.
ReplyDelete