Object

Representation ID: 16304

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Ms Dawn Taylor

Draft Black Country Plan, July 2021. Table 22, Sandwell Residential Site Allocations (BCP Policy
HOU1), pages: 445, 446, 447. BCP Site Ref: SAH226 - Land North of Painswick Close Sub Station.
The Indicative Development Capacity (net homes) is stated to be 120 on Green Belt land. I raise
several Objections as to why this site should NOT be developed, the details are:
1) The land is precious Green Belt which is invaluable for residents and visitors mental health,
wellbeing and recreactional purposes. The UK is suffering a loss of nature and is one of te most
nature-depleted countries in the world:
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-10-10/uk-is-one-of-the-most-nature-depleted-countries-in-the-world
We all must take active roles in safeguarding these green lungs’ spaces for humankind and nature
to thrive. The site is not only Green Belt but also the majority of the site is a SLINC - “Site of Local
Importance for Nature Conservation” - which is a non-statutory designated site of the borough
importance identified by Sandwell MBC and the Wildlife Trust. We must honour the site’s natural
significance and protect it from being forever changed to the built environment.
2) The existing infrastructure struggles to accommodate the current residents living on Yew Tree
and Tamebridge. There are only two GP surgeries serving in excess of 3000 homes on Yew Tree
alone plus the homes at Tamebridge. The parking provisions for residents’ vehicles is poor and
results in on-road parking which leads to traffic congestion, air and noise pollution. There are poor
shopping facilities and only one school to provide educational provision to this large area. There is
insufficient infrastructure to accoummodate the existing residents’ needs let alone more residents.
3) The area used to have sited numerous blocks of flats which were “no-go” areas with troublesome
incidents occurring regularly. The Draft BCP Plan states that proposed properties should be raised
in height and I object to blocks of flats or apartments’ blocks being built on this site to not only avoid
potential anti-social behaviour from occurring but also to retain the green landscape that provides
existing residents some soundproofing against the noise pollution created by the close proxmity of
the motorway network.
4) Building under and/or in the vicinity of electrical overhead cables is deemed dangerous. The
cables also make constant crackling noises which would be disruptive to potential new residents
living in the proposed new build 120 properties.
5) Access. There is currently no viable access to this proposed new build residential site which is
stated to require two such accesses. “The current main issue is that there doesn't appear to be a
viable access option from an existing adopted highway. All current potential access points cross
private driveways to dwellings and hence to open up development opportunities would require the
purchase of private properties and demolition to provide access from either Caledonian Close, …
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CONTINUATION PAGE
Draft Black Country Plan, July 2021. Table 22, Sandwell Residential Site
Allocations (BCP Policy HOU1), pages: 445, 446, 447. BCP Site Ref: SAH226 -
Land North of Painswick Close Sub Station
5) Access (Continued).
“...Delamere Drive and/or Broom Road. For a residential site of this proposed size,
two accesses are preferred, for amenity and highways safety issues”. It is
counter-productive to suggest that existing residents might be forced to sell their
homes and one assumes that all such purchases would be made as Compulsory
Purchase Orders (CPOs) with residents forced to seek legal advice and their Right to
Compensation (of which the general principle is that owners and occupiers of land
should not be financially worse of and no better off after a CPO than before). It is
counter-productive to suggest that existing residents could lose their homes to make
way for new homes’ access for highways and amenities and therefore, I object to this
aspect of the proposed plan.
“If a suitable access could be found then the junction of Greenside Way and Walsall
Road would need to be tested for capacity and safety”. Greenside Way is an
extremely busy main arterial road onto Yew Tree and Tamebridge and Walsall Road
is an extremely busy dual carriageway serving as access to Stone Cross, Fullbrook,
Silverdale areas and beyond. To introduce another potential access to service the
potential 120 homes would lead to more vehicles using the junction of Greenside
Way and Walsall Road which will result in longer queue times, more air pollution,
more noise pollution and the potential for increased road traffic accidents. I am
therefore objecting to this aspect of the proposed plan.
6) The Rushall Canal has been known to flood before and the proposed site would
be vulnerable to potential flooding. The building on Green Belt would remove natural
drainage from the site which is currently offered by the natural environment it is
comprised of.
7) Wildlife and natural habitat will be destroyed and this is criminal of Sandwell MBC
to consider such destruction especially as both are so important to the climate and
environment which is increasingly to the forefront of everyones’ minds. The green
spaces around Yew Tree and Tamebridge provide invaluable recreational
possibilities to the area’s residents especially in light of the fact that there is very little
provision in terms of recreational activities available in this large area.
In closing, I object to the potential theft of our beneficial Green Belt and green space
north of Painswick Close Sub Station at Yew Tree and Tamebridge, Walsall being
changed forever from green to built environment for the reasons set down in this
Objection.