Object

Representation ID: 15362

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Kenneth Wall

Number of people: 2

We strongly object to this plan and any other plan which we consider:
1. Risks the devastation of our Green Belt/spaces within existing communities and boroughs.
2. Risks further urban sprawl within existing boroughs and communities.
3. Risks further loss of local Green Belt/spaces which penalises local communities by increasing population of those communities to share smaller local Green Belt/spaces.
4. Imposes further congestion and strains on local services, roads, etc, to what could be construed to be overstretched at present.
We have never, nor will ever, supported anyone who is in favour of developing or using Green Belt or spaces for housing factories (or other use) other than public use and recreation until every last inch of Brownfield sites is exhausted. Therefore we strongly oppose the Black Country Plan which in our opinion, propose the mis-use, as stated above.
We are aware of the Governments position to build 300,000 new homes each year for the next decade (present plans which could be extended). We are also aware of current government figures of net immigration which show 312,000 for 2020.
This is somewhat more than a coincidence, and in reality shows that each year, for the next decade at least, we would need to build 2 towns the size of Walsall. At present we find the population of Walsall is 286,700 people, within a total of 107,000 homes. This equates to 2.65 residents in each home. Therefore having to build 300,000 homes within the borders of existing boroughs is not sustainable. The Black Country Plan recommends that Walsall Borough builds some 7,100 homes (in the first phase) which equates to approximately further residents of 19,000. So we end up loss of Green Belt/spaces with a greater population to share it with. This not only penalises the existing communities but also the new residents.
In attempting to cram new residents plus their homes, employment, etc into the existing boroughs will have massive effect on current services (Doctors surgeries, hospitals, police, fire, schools, etc.) which are already struggling to meet current workloads and commitments which are only to aware of. It is simply not enough for this Plan to speak of additional services to provide for the additional population, but as we are only too aware of the excuses bandied about locally now about lack of funds, lack of bodies in response to our reasons as to why we have to wait for action.
We are also aware that the congestion on local roads will only be added to by the simple fact that current situation within the four boroughs concerned have certain heavy areas that struggle with the increasing traffic burdens thrust upon them.
Upon planning for future requirements on the scale as per the governments figures mentioned earlier, it surely cannot follow that the homes, employment, services, roads, population cannot be shoe-horned into existing boroughs to the detriment of both existing residents and new residents benefits.
We surely have enough space within the United Kingdom to facilitate the homes and services required without creating massive urban sprawls by drawing in different boroughs such as Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton as one, which this Plan would eventually do.