Object

Representation ID: 13456

Received: 28/09/2021

Respondent: Mrs Claire Hobley

[Part 1]
Site: Queslett Road East/Aldridge Road [WAH250, WSA8]
I object to the green belt being destroyed to meet a target when there are brownfield sites available. It appears target and profit are the main aim of this huge development.
- The aim to put on average 4000 people on that site will put further strain on our services. Our schools health services are over subscribed. Where will the people living at this site access services?
- Wildlife – there are birds of prey and trees that will be destroyed during this development. Green belt protects wildlife and that will not be considered during a major build.
- Overpopulated areas increase crime, stress. Thre pandemic has shown us what overpopulated areas go through with regards to impact on health
- Pollution – as you are aware Aldridge Road has significant traffic delays. This would increase further with more car owners being brought to the area. Air quality will suffer which will impact existing residents, new residents and children that use the schools. Drains in Streetly often overflow during heavy rain, current system would not cope with demand.
[Part 2]
Impact on health and quality of life for existing residents. We are aware developers will not focus on preserving the quality of life for the current community. The development will impact on the existing residents emotionally, physically and socially.
Emotionally – to watch your community change dramatically without being able to influence it causes distress and loss. To watch land being dug up and nature being destroyed never to return leaves people feelings powerless and low. During the pandemic our green spaces got us through, now they are being taken to meet a target. Living next to green space cannot be viewed as a luxury but a necessity for good health.
Physically – our schools are oversubscribed. Putting a few thousand more children into the area will cause children to have to travel out of area to go to school. This increases traffic further and impacts on local connections and relationships.
Our GPs and hospital cannot meet demand. It is difficult to get an appointment with a GP. Increasing demand by thousands of people will impact on our elderly residents’ health.
Social Impact – It is well document overpopulated areas increase crime, anti-social behaviour and impact on the quality of life due to need not being met by local services. Existing residents have worked hard to reach the quality of life they currently have. The fear of losing community connections is apparent, as this is common in busy built-up estates. We are aware developers will dismiss these needs as irrelevant but this development will change our community forever by people (the developers) that will leave once the damage is done.