What’s new: Barwood Strategic Land II LLP has submitted plans to increase the Arkall Farm development from 1,000 to 1,300 homes.
By the numbers: The proposals include 300 additional homes, potentially including up to 120 affordable homes, while the first 315 homes are due to be completed by the end of the year.
What’s next: Lichfield District Council is currently considering the outline planning application, reference 26/01227/OUTMEI.
This article is based on reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a BBC funded initiative set up to strengthen reporting on local democratic issues. The Staffordshire Signal has taken part in the scheme since September 2026, which means we're able to draw on a selection of LDRS stories alongside our own.
Plans have been lodged to increase the number of homes for a major housing development north of Tamworth by 300. Barwood Strategic Land II LLP wants to increase the number of homes at Arkall Farm, off Ashby Road, from 1,000 to 1,300.
The developer has submitted an outline planning application to Lichfield District Council, arguing that the extra homes will help meet the housing needs in the district. They say a key benefit of the proposal is the delivery of further housing on an existing site without the requirement to allocate new greenfield land.
The development would see some land originally reserved for a primary school used for housing and an increase in housing density in the fourth phase of development. The planning statement says that the local education authority has confirmed that the full area of land reserved for the school.
The effect of these changes means that a further 300 homes can be built. Despite the increase in the number of homes they will all be built within the boundaries of the existing approved scheme, with the wider elements of the scheme remaining largely unchanged.
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The original plans for up to 1,000 homes were approved by the secretary of state in 2018 following a public inquiry. Development at the site started in 2021, with 315 homes across the first two phases due to be completed by the end of the year.
The latest application could also deliver up to 120 affordable homes. The developer states that the revised scheme will also deliver biodiversity gains, including 19.33 per cent increase in habitat units, as well as additional public open space and sports pitches.
Lichfield District Council are unable to demonstrate a five year housing land supply, currently the council can demonstrate 3.5 years. This means there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development.
The planning statement said: “The central objective of the application is to increase the total amount of residential development from the currently consented 1,000 dwellings to 1,300 dwellings (i.e. an increase of 300 homes).
“In large measure the new outline application replicates the extant outline. There are only two exceptions: a small part of the land originally reserved for the new primary school is now proposed for housing; and a modest increase in density across parts of the Phase 4 housing area, which will enable this part of the already consented housing site to yield further dwellings in the final phase.
“The net effect of these two changes is to provide scope for a further 300 homes to be developed, all within the boundaries of the existing approved site, and on land already committed to built development. All other elements of the wider scheme, including the committed and planned open space areas, remain unchanged.”
The application and all supporting documents can be viewed on Lichfield District Council’s planning portal, reference number 26/01227/OUTMEI. The application is currently under consideration by planning officers..
Written by Jonathan Sutton, Local Democracy Reporter.
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