Object

Representation ID: 11261

Received: 15/09/2021

Respondent: Miss Lynn Boleyn

I wish to object to the plans to build new houses on the green belt land in Wall Heath. All brownfield sites should be used first before any green belt land. Our green belt must be protected for future generations.
If allowed this will have a massive effect on local services including the NHS. Currently there are not enough GP's or dentists in the area to cope with existing patients with Moss Grove Surgery in Kingswinford already sending patients to Kinver. The average waiting time in 2019 (pre lockdown) at A&E at Russells Hall Hospital was over 4 hours with further delays in mental health services and other hospital treatments.


The A449 is an extremely busy road and the local road infrastructure is already heavily congested. Extra vehicles will increase noise and pollution, there will be more bus delays and inevitably increased accidents due to more vehicles on the roads.
There would be increased pressure on local schools where for September 2021 admissions the only secondary school with places in Year 7 is Wordsley. Most other year groups are full. There are no places in Reception in Wall Heath for 2021 and only one school in Kingswinford has places. Yes we are lucky to have such good schools in Wall Heath but where will all the extra children go if these houses are built if there are no local places for them? Data supports that some parents have had difficulty with getting places at their first choice of school and this will only get worse with increased pupils which will impact on class sizes and keeping legal class numbers in Key Stage 1. Pupils education has already been severely disrupted due to Covid and any added pressure on schools and staff will lead to further anxiety and mental health issues in the future.

There would be a strain on local amenities and already there is a lack of parks with good quality equipment. There is no youth centre in Wall Heath. Local green spaces are extremely important for mental health and wellbeing as well as helping give people pride in where they choose to live.

The loss of green belt will impact on local wildlife and the environment. The Government committed a 25 year plan to protect good quality agricultural land, like Holbeache, and use the soil in a sustainable way (updated February 2021). The hedgerows around Holbeache form a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation and building here will mean loss of wildlife, e.g. owls, buzzards, red kites, bats as well as a loss of bees and butterflies. Trees would be lost and also the beautiful and stunning annual displays of daffodils in Wall Heath.

Light pollution will be increased which is a source of annoyance to people, harmful to wildlife and undermines enjoyment of the countryside and the night sky. Less than 100 years ago, everyone could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. Now, millions of children across the globe will never experience the Milky Way where they live. The increased and widespread use of artificial light at night is not only impairing our view of the universe, it is adversely affecting our environment, our safety, our energy consumption and our health.
The historial Holbeache House, famous for the Gunpowder Plot, sits right next to the proposed development. This is a Grade II listed building with high historic value and the elderly residents at the home will be affected daily for a long period of time if building work goes ahead resulting in considerable noise, dust, pollution and extra traffic.

I would be grateful if you will register my objections