Object

Draft Black Country Plan

Representation ID: 15347

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Terry Unitt

Representation Summary:

As a resident of [redacted], I wish to raise the following objections to the Black Country Plan 2021, as outlined below.
Several residents have been in contact with local MP Wendy Morton and Walsall Councillor John Murry about this matter since it was raised during the Covid-19 restrictions in 2020. Assurances have been given in writing, there will be no building in Aldridge on the Green Belt land, this has been reiterated today by the Prime Minister and supported by the Mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street, that building on green-belt land is now not on the Governments agenda.
The wedge of green belt land on the junction of Middlemore Lane West and Bosty Lane, which is
bounded by Daw End railway cutting, is unsuitable for development for the following reasons: -
1. The site is adjacent to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (5551), please see attached Defra plan below.
This is an ancient site as documented on Walsall Council's website, please see - https://go.walsall.gov.uk/parks and green spaces/conservation and the environment/sites of special scientific interest sssis/daw end railway cutting
'The old quarry and railway cuttings at Daw End provide excellent exposures on Wenlock Shale (Coalbrookdale Formation) and the overlying Wenlock Limestone which were deposited during the Silurian Period about 410 million years ago.
These are the best exposures available in Britain for this particular group of rocks. During deposition of the Wenlock Limestone marine organisms grew in patches on the sea bed trapping sediment and forming low mounds or reefs. These patch reefs are well seen in the Wenlock Limestone at this site. This is an important geological locality for the study of the Wenlock Series in Britain.
2. Any development on this important sensitive site would comprise the existing delicate eco­structure and be extremely detrimental to the wildlife and to the historic flora and fauna of the site and area generally.
3. Heavy industrial goods traffic on the roads bordering the site, makes access to the site difficult. Access to the Middlemore Lane Industrial estate from Bosty Lane is restricted and can only be accessed by a single-track bridge. This already causes significant tailbacks along the section of Middlemore Lane West onto Bosty Lane.
Furthermore, the use of this route by heavy goods traffic is set to increase when the proposed Council recycling centre on Middlemore Lane opens.
4. The junction of Middlemore Lane West and Bosty Lane has been the cause of numerous serious accidents, with some incidents involving the deployment of the air ambulance service. Development on this site will increase traffic at this junction and would be likely to create a high number of incidents without significant improvements to the highway, including the potential to construct a new double-track road bridge over the railway.
The development of this green belt site will create additional environmental air pollution and exacerbate the existing noise pollution from the container base.
6. Very limited public transport services in the area, with the local bus service providing a­ maximum service of two busses per hour. There are currently no public rail links in the area.
7. The green belt creates an important natural division-between the parishes of Aldridge and Rushall and prevents coalescence. This land provides a much-needed haven for wildlife, and currently includes a haven for several horses which graze the pasture and provides a buffer zone to the SSSI.
[plan included in original response]