Object

Representation ID: 13267

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Cllr Aftab Nawaz

As a St Matthew’s Ward Councillor and representative of the residents of the St Matthew’s Ward I totally, unreservedly and wholeheartedly object to the inclusion of this land within the plan for development for housing.

I have no doubt that it is a huge mistake and will be detrimental to the lives, wellbeing and general health of the residents of the borough and in particular the residents of St Matthew’s Ward. In addition to this I feel the damage that will be done to the natural environment will be permanent and will impact on generations to come.

Specifically I object on the following grounds;

1. No support for this inclusion and the development of housing on this land
This proposal does not have the support of local residents or indeed the residents of the borough of Walsall. There have been many people locally who have objected and I am aware of a petition that has been signed by over 1500 people against this proposal. It is essential that proposals as significant as this have the backing of the general public. This proposal does not and will aggrieve the residents that I represent and the residents of the borough. The objections
to the inclusion of this land are from people from all backgrounds and ages and thus it is my submission that this proposal lacks totally public support.

2. The Detrimental aesthetic impact on this and surrounding land
The proposed land is of outstanding beauty and is visually appealing to visitors and the public that walk past it and have sight of it. This proposal will destroy the beauty and picturesque nature of this land. The open fields with animals grazing is a stunning to look at and benefits many residents in the borough. The development of this land will end this and I submit that the benefit of development is heavily outweighed by the benefit to the public from the visual impact from this land.

3. The detrimental impact on the openness of the Arboretum
The Arboretum Park that is adjacent to this site will be negatively impacted upon and its beauty, and openness will be lost if the land is developed. This part of the Arboretum is used by many people enjoying walking and de-stressing. The impact of development will mean that this area no longer is a continuous open green space and will in my view be detrimental to the enjoyment of the Arboretum Park by the residents of Walsall. It therefore my submission that the impact on the Arboretum, as Walsall’s premier park, will be disastrous and irreversible. The park should be protected and the principle of development on this land should be withdrawn.

4. Detrimental Impact on the mental wellbeing of residents

The Parkland and the Calderfileds land is a huge asset to the people of Walsall and particularly the residents of St Matthew’s. The area has been extensively used by people over many, many years but in recent times it has been an essential part of people’s wellbeing. Walking and enjoying the openness and tranquillity of the area has meant that many people have been helped in regard to their mental health. The Government, through public health recognises the importance of strategies to deal with mental health. The development of this land will be in very sharp contrast to what they wish to achieve and will impact negatively on the mental health of residents as the serenity of this area will disappear for good.

5. Destructive Impact on wildlife and biodiversity of the area
The area that is being proposed for inclusion for development land is rich in biodiversity and is full of natural habitats. I am informed that the area is home to [species redacted] and many more bird species. Beyond this there is a multitude of other wildlife that exists in this area. All of this will be lost if the land is designated for and then used for the development of houses. This rich biodiversity needs to be protected and needs to be passed on to future generations so that they can benefit from it and protect it. It is my submission that the destruction of habitats and of the animals and plant life in the area is unacceptable and totally against the principle of environmental sustainability and environmental responsibility.

6. The need for housing on Greenbelt / Green Spaces is unnecessary and not required
The reasons given for including this, and other, greenbelt or green spaces for development is that there is a lack of housing and all other options for land have been exhausted. I do not accept this and it is my view that there is more than a sufficient amount of land available outside of greenbelt land for housing development. Former industrial and, brownfield land and indeed town centre developments should be considered and I am not convinced that these have been given serious consideration. The value of the Greenbelt cannot be monetarised as its benefit is beyond financial considerations. Indeed it seems that the planners who have drawn up these unacceptable proposals and indeed the potential developers ‘know the price of everything and the value of nothing’. It is my submission that the process of finding alternative land for development has not been exhausted and therefore these proposals should be withdrawn.

7. The proposals are for the benefit of developers and not residents
It is my view, leading on from my previous point that the proposals put forward with the plan are beneficial to developers and not residents of St Matthew’s or Walsall. It is known that building on such land is cheaper and that the houses sell at a greater price. The proposals therefore seem to want to maximise the profit of developers rather than make less profitable (although still profitable) land available. It is accepted that brownfield land and former industrial land needs to be remediated and then developed and that this is a cost for the developer. However once this is done and houses are built, they are still sold at a profit – albeit not as much as they would be on greenbelt land. This proposal to designate Calderfileds as development land is therefore unacceptable as it is on basis of maximising the profits of developers. The Council needs to work for the benefit of the people of Walsall and not the benefit of developers.

8. Lasting and irreversible harm to the greenbelt
This proposal will create a lasting and irreversible harm to the greenbelt, open green space. Once development is given the go ahead we will lose this unique and invaluable greenspace for ever. Once housing is built it will not be unbuilt and the land, the ecology, the scenic views and the mental health benefit from this immeasurably valuable land will be lost for ever. The nature of this part of St Matthew’s will change and will not benefit the people of Walsall. It is my submission that the lasting, irreversible harm to the Greenbelt and Greenspace is a reason in itself to remove this land from the plan.

9. Lasting legacy for our children
It is the wish of many, including me, to leave the world in a better state than what we found it so that future generations will benefit from it. This proposal, if it goes ahead, will leave a legacy of environmental destruction and environmental irresponsibility for the valuable Green Spaces for our children. This proposal will not benefit our children and future generations and therefore should be withdrawn as it has no benefit for the future of St Matthew’s or our Borough.

10. Lack of awareness of the Black Country Plan Proposals
The proposals set out in the plan have not been sufficiently communicated to the residents of St Matthew’s and the wider borough. Many residents in St Matthew’s have openly commented on the lack of awareness, communication and advertisement about the plan and its implications. An unsatisfactory and unengaging consultation will and does lack public confidence. The plan came out during a period where residents were still concerned with the pandemic and although it was extended by two weeks, this in my view has been insufficient and wholly disrespectful process. It seems that the powers that be do not wish to have an extensive and engaging consultation and wish to get the proposals through without opposition. This being the case I feel the Calderfields and all the other proposals should be withdrawn and the process re-started in order to maintain a confidence and to ensure the people of Walsall are not disenfranchised from their democratic right.

I would be grateful if you would accept this as my submission on the Black Country Plan and ask that you seriously consider your proposals and withdraw them for Calderfields and the rest of the borough due to the damage they will cause and the lack of support from the people of St Matthew’s and the wider Walsall Borough.