Barwood wants 1,300 homes at Arkall Farm, north-east of Tamworth, not 1,000, partly on school land. Comment to Lichfield District Council by 14 November.
The developer behind the Arkall Farm estate on the north-east edge of Tamworth wants to build 300 more homes there than it has permission for. That would take the site from 1,000 homes to 1,300.
Arkall Farm is in Lichfield district, about seven miles east of Lichfield city, in Wigginton and Hopwas parish. So Lichfield District Council decides the application, even though the homes face Tamworth. Its reference is 26/01227/OUTMEI, validated on 13 October.
Where the extra 300 homes would go
The application comes from Barwood Strategic Land II LLP. Its agent’s covering letter says the “core purpose” is “to enable a further 300 homes, over those which are already approved at the site”. It names two sources of land.
- Part of the school site. The 2018 permission reserved 2.49 hectares for a primary school. The applicant says Staffordshire County Council, as education authority, has agreed it needs only 1.6 hectares. The rest would become housing.
- Denser building in the last phase. The eastern edge of phase 4 was approved at up to 20 homes per hectare. The new plans use a mix of up to 30 and up to 35, citing the council’s March 2024 design code, which sets a minimum of 30 in suburban areas.
Both changes come from the environmental statement’s non-technical summary. Homes would be two or two and a half storeys.
Why does the application say 985 homes, not 300? For procedural reasons it has to cover all of the land not yet built on. The planning statement explains that 985 is the new total of 1,300 minus the 315 homes already built or under way. Of the 1,000 already approved, 685 are still to come. If it is refused, building carries on under the 2018 permission.
How far the estate has got
The estate has a long history. Barwood applied in 2014. The then Secretary of State called the application in, held a public inquiry and granted permission in June 2018 (appeal reference APP/K3415/V/17/3174379) for up to 1,000 homes, a primary school, a local centre and open space. Building started in 2021.
The environmental statement gives the position at April 2026:
- phase 2, 120 homes, is complete
- 70 of the 195 homes in phase 1 were still to be finished
- the care home is built and occupied
- roads, drainage basins and some open space are in
- no part of phases 3 or 4 has started
The planning statement says all 315 homes in the first two phases should be finished by the end of 2026.
What the applicant says the estate would need
The environmental statement puts the finished population at 2,425. Using Staffordshire County Council’s ratios, it expects:
| Need | Figure in the environmental statement |
|---|---|
| Primary school pupils | 332 |
| Secondary school pupils | 237 |
| Spare primary places within 1.5 miles | 336, including 95 at Anker Valley |
| Spare secondary places | 159 |
| GP practices within 3 miles | 8, with 83 GPs, all taking patients |
It says the extra primary pupils “leaves no capacity for other developments”, and that a school of up to one and a half forms of entry on the estate could deal with that. Its assessments assume a school of that size as the worst case.
On the roads, the worst-case model gives 826 vehicle movements in the morning peak and 761 in the evening peak. It finds one significant effect, on driver delay, which it says becomes “minor adverse” once junction works are done. Construction traffic would peak at 115 vehicles in and 115 out a day.
The applicant says 40% of the new homes would be affordable, in line with council policy. The same “dynamic viability” model as the 2018 agreement would apply, so the actual share can move with land values and building costs.
The housing supply argument
The planning statement leans hard on Lichfield’s housing shortfall. Government changes raised the district’s target from 478 homes a year to 746. The council’s January 2026 position statement found 2,744 deliverable homes against a five-year requirement of 3,917. That is a shortfall of 1,173, or 3.5 years’ supply.
Below five years, national policy says housing should normally be approved unless the harm substantially outweighs the benefits. The applicant argues nothing here does.
What residents have said so far
Five public comments were on the register by 18 October: four objections and one neutral. They come from people who live on or near the estate. Their main points:
- Facilities first. Several say the school, community building, play areas, sports pitches and shop promised in 2018 have not arrived. One asks for “strict occupation triggers” so they are built before more homes are occupied.
- Ashby Road. People describe it as the only direct route into Tamworth and say it queues at rush hour, especially around school traffic.
- The school site. One parent had hoped the school would open before their child starts in September 2027. Another objection points out that a one and a half form school takes 315 pupils, below the 332 the applicant itself forecasts.
- Sewers and the rail bridge. One detailed objection says the only sewer study dates from 2014 and was done for 1,000 homes. It also says the Ashby Road railway bridge footway is narrow and unlit, and is not assessed.
Sport England has replied with standard advice only, saying the scheme is outside its statutory remit.
What it means for you
If you live on Arkall Farm, in Wigginton or along Ashby Road, this is the time to comment. The council’s register lists 14 November as the latest consultation expiry date, and a press notice runs to 19 November.
- Comment online on the application page, quoting 26/01227/OUTMEI. The case officer is Ian Long.
- Comments about timing of the school, community building and pitches are planning matters. The council can tie those to the number of homes occupied through conditions and the legal agreement.
- The target date for a decision is 2 February 2027. No committee date is set.
We follow planning across the district on our Lichfield planning news page.
Sources
- Lichfield District Council planning register: 26/01227/OUTMEI: summary, dates, covering letter (September 2026), supporting planning statement, environmental statement volumes 1 and 2 (August 2026), public comments and Sport England response
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