As well as 660 homes the scheme will include 71,533 square metres of employment space, a local centre, sports and recreation facilities and public open space.
The proposals were appealed after East Staffordshire Borough Council failed to determine the application within the prescribed timeline. The Council's planning committee subsequently resolved that they would have refused the application on grounds of the impact the scheme would have on highway safety.
Pickles said in his decision letter (85-page / 607KB PDF) that he agreed with a planning inspector's conclusions that the concerns about highway safety had scope for mitigation and that the effects of construction traffic could be controlled "within reasonable limits".
The Inspector said in his report that the Council had presented no evidence to support its allegation that the highways safety impact of the scheme would be severe. "Increased traffic does not correlate to increased highway safety problems. The proposal would provide for necessary mitigation in a form and at a time agreed by the relevant statutory bodies," he said.
Pickles agreed with the Inspector's conclusions that the proposals would deliver a "substantial" number of benefits which weighed "heavily" in support of granting permission, including market and affordable housing, public open space, employment opportunities.
Pickles also noted that the Council had a "serious" shortfall in its housing land supply. However, he said he agreed with the Inspector that because the site was within the development boundary in the Council's Local Plan meant that the acceptability of the proposal "in principle" did not depend on identifying a shortfall.
See also: St Modwen submits planning application for major East Staffordshire scheme
