Object

Representation ID: 12393

Received: 17/09/2021

Respondent: Ellie Lilly

To Whom it may concern
I am logging my objections to the above housing development plan for the proposed Walsall development situated on the site that sits between Queslett Road, Doe Bank Lane and Aldridge Road.
My objections to this include the following reasons;
1/ It contravenes the governments proposal to tackle climate change and the planting of trees. The area from my photographs show established trees, including oak and hawthorn, and established hedgerows, home to bird life, insects (vastly in decline). Both necessary for food and oxygen in the future
2/ Impact on landscape and ecological habitats-a barn owl and bats seen in the area. Observation of bird life has found: 11 RED LISTED BIRD SPECIES on the proposed footprint: [redacted]. Also noted in a half mile radius: Whinchat, spotted flycatcher, wood warbler, tree pipit (all red listed), whitethroat, wheatear, peregrine, kestrel, willow warbler, nuthatch, stock dove, sand martin, swallow, house martin, swift, raven, buzzard plus many more. Bats are also frequently spotted in the spot but roost origins are unknown. This brief list is not taking into account plants and insects. It would be very interesting to read your ecology report. This was missing pages from previous report on the site. As images October 2018 on Dairy Farm planned build.
3/ Reasons to prevent a build include; Noise and disturbance- During the build and subsequently more people in a peaceful park location. Add to residents moving in, visitors, their cars, noise..Noise and pollution from this extra housing, if limited to the proposed 900 houses, for example most houses will have at least one, two up to four cars each that equates to 900, 1800, 3600 cars? Plus visitors to those people. Picture those cars adding to the rush hour congestion into the city?
4/ This is a quite area of peaceful tranquility. Many people have used this area for walking, unwinding and relaxation for many years and more so during the recent pandemic. Working in mental health, I know how vital this is for well being, and forms part of the governments own five part plan for well being. It is imperative for well being and positive mental health that the greenbelt is preserved and maintained and for reasons of environmental factors that buildings are not erected on it.
5/ Reasons to prevent a build include; Air quality and odours-during the build and subsequently.
6/ The government attaches great importance to Green Belts. The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence.
7/ Green Belt serves 5 purposes:
(a) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
(b) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;
(c) to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
(d) to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
(e) to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
Proposals affecting the Green Belt
8/ Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.
9/ ‘our’ green strip is an emergency landing/flight path & therefore can’t be built on. Correct me if I am wrong.
There is an underground overflow gravity water pipe running parallel with Doe Bank Lane. This comes off the reservoir on top of the Beacon and runs into Kingstanding for when (as it has done in the past) Kingstanding runs dry.
10/ Drain on local services and amenities; schools, shops, GP surgeries etc.
11/ This land forms a green corridor between Barr Beacon, Sutton Park for wild life to move between, a safe passage to move and rest safely.
12 The area as described on Wikipedia. "Described on Wikipedia
""The site is on green belt land and is of local importance for nature conservation, as defined by Walsall Borough Council, who have designated some 60 acres (25 ha) of it as a Local Nature Reserve."
How important Walsall Council? Important enough to build on every piece of land around it, destroying local nature reserve?"
13/ Reasons to prevent a build include; Effect on listed buildings, conservation areas and archaeology- this is a conservation area being greenbelt land and a place of natural beauty
14/ Once it is gone it is gone for good. Not only will these houses be built but the land allocated to each house for garden areas, potentially in the future will also be awarded planning permission for extensions. There will be 2/3 cars each to each house increasing air pollution, traffic congestion etc.
15/ It is likely will make future planning applications in the area and surrounding woodland more likely to be granted. Plus people will be removing their gardens for drive ways, an increased risk of flooding and lack of home to insects.
I think it is very sad, I have lived here most of my life, we need to preserve the countryside, particularly with global warming, planting more trees, as only this week in the media and the government saying they are committed to this. Once this site gets built on it opens the floodgate to continue building , every planning application be that little bit easier. We lost the woodlands at Netherhall, lost most of the land down Booths Farm, Foxhills and the Dairy Farm.. The scouts building on the Aldridge Road went up, I didn't even know that was happening.
Once these areas get built on, our greenbelt land will be gone forever. there never going to come a time when someone says, '" lets knock down all these houses and buildings and plant a forest, return to nature" is there?
When there are no insects there will be no food, when there are no trees there will be no oxygen to breathe.