Object

Representation ID: 13989

Received: 26/09/2021

Respondent: Mrs Sarah Draper

WAH234 GB1 Land between
Queslett Road, Doe Bank Lane and
Aldridge Road, Pheasey
Neighbourhood
Strategic Allocation Policy WSA8

I wish to catalogue 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/ Detrimental 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: skylark, starling, song thrush, house sparrow, linnet, yellowhammer, redwing, fieldfare, grey wagtail, lapwing, herring gull. Including sparrow hawks seen in local residents gardens, images are on Save our Barr Beacon Green Space site. Barn Owl spotted in the area. 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.

2/ The proposal states an extra 900 houses are to be built on this land, resulting in unacceptable noise and disturbance during the build. This will also result in greater noise and pollution from this extra housing. Assuming that each household will also own at least 1 car, and possibly 2, 3 or 4, then this will result in an extra 900 to 3600 cars on the local roads leading to much greater congestion at peak travel times and a greater volume of vehicles using Aldridge and Queslett Road, leading to a much greater volume of exhaust fumes and air pollution. From 7am to 9am on school days, there are already queues on Aldridge Road from the Queslett Road roundabout stretching back to Bridle Lane. A great volume of cars will make this situation worse. The road passes Lindens Primary School, where there will be a detrimental impact of much greater exhaust fumes and air pollution on young children's lungs and physical health.

3/ There are no plans to improve the infrastructure of the area despite the increase in the population, number of school age children and number of vehicles. The roads are already heavily congested at peak travel times, so the extra cars will make the roads unbearable, affecting people's quality of life and commute to work and school. There are no plans to build new schools or expand existing schools, so where will the extra children go to school? There are no plans to build new shops, new GP surgeries, new post offices, new police stations, new fire stations, so this will lead to food shortages, greater waiting times at GP's surgeries or people not able to access medical services, crime will rise with no extra police and fire risks will increase, along with danger to life.

4/ This is a quiet 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. 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/ There will be a reduction in air quality and an increase in pollution 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.

8/ Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

9/ The above referenced green strip is an emergency landing/flight path & therefore cannot be built on.

10/ 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.

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/ There may be a detrimental effect on listed buildings, conservation areas and archaeology - this is a conservation area being greenbelt land and a place of natural beauty.

13/ 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.

14/ 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.