Object

Representation ID: 13104

Received: 21/09/2021

Respondent: Jane Owen

Black Country Site Assessment Report, Dudley Appendix A. page 79, The Triangle SA - 0025-DUD

1. Loss of Green Belt
It is better to use old factory sites (Brownfield) and re-develop inner cities to revive town centres.
This is useful Agricultural land graded 3 and above.
The Visual Amenity and Character of the Area would dramatically change.
This is an important and strategic tract of Green Belt preventing urban sprawl along the Western Edge of the Black Country. If the proposed A449 Kidderminster Road forms the amended Green Belt boundary then all the Greenfield sites encompassed by that on the boundary and currently vulnerable from the South Staffs Local Plan would be at risk from development as a precedent would be set for a new boundary

2. Impact on traffic and transport
Increasing numbers of vehicles will mean increased pollution, road safety consequences.
Road traffic congestion in the area is already high. A449 and A491 gridlocked in a morning. Nor do we want more roads eg ‘Western Strategic (Orbital) Route’ destroying more green belt. The existing roads are unable to cope with current volumes of traffic and will not be able to sustain any increased vehicles in the local area
Lack of public transport or cycle routes. Hansen rate this area as having the worst commuting score from homes to places of employment.
Poor rail access. Time taken to reach the rail network to Wolverhampton/Birmingham is much longer than 30 minutes.
There are also at least two other major development sites at Stallings Lane and Ketley Quarry (within 2 miles) which do not have any infrastructure improvements either.

3. Quality of life
Developing green belt means loss of access to countryside, once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Higher noise levels impact of adjoining residents and wildlife.
Increase in light pollution in a much needed area of tranquillity.
Poorer air quality impact of adjoining residents and wider area, particularly from increase in traffic. • Impact of building from construction noise and traffic.

Additional information continued
Black Country Site Assessment Report
Dudley Appendix A, page 79
The Triangle SA-0025-DUD
4. Pressure on local facilities
• There are not enough doctors surgeries, schools, shops, emergency services in Dudley to serve the
area. The proposal to build 533 new houses on the triangle would increase the local population by
1279 (Office of National statistics average occupation rates are 2.4 people per household)
• Local Health Services are already over subscribed and un-sustainable.
• Primary Schools over 15 minutes walk away.
• Road Infrastructure already struggling to cope at present with high traffic levels. Impact on the
wider road network particularly Kingswinford and Wallheath junctions.
• No suitable or regular bus routes or cycle network.
• No nearby employment sites or network.
• Providing more ‘High Value’ housing does not solve the problem of lack of affordable or social
housing, which would also need a sustainable infrastructure of health facilities, education, mass
transit and employment centres.
5. Destruction of the local environment
• Loss of ancient trees, natural habitats, biodiversity.
• Loss of SLINC (Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation) hedgerows to create access.
• This will contribute to climate change .
• Loss of wildlife, impact on the fields and meadows.
• Loss of wildlife corridors linking green spaces.
• Flood risk affecting drainage of the area and ground water.
• Contributing to rapid loss of species in Britain in recent decades eg moths, butterflies, bees have
declined significantly.
• Replanting schemes do not replace ancient habitats and features
Completed by Jane Owen