Comment

Representation ID: 16334

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Frazer Powell

WAH242 Calderfields West
WAH231 Land off Sutton Road, Longwood Lane

Moving onto the particular concerns in respect of the Calderfields West, Aldridge Road and Sutton Road/ Longwood Lane, Walsall sites, the green belt in both these areas provide materially significant areas of natural habitat for mammals, birds, insects and reptiles and highly valuable green space for recreation for local people. I walk regularly in these areas, particularly Walsall Arboretum and appreciate the benefits of having such a pleasant green area so close to home. I am sure that these areas of green belt taken together have had and I hope will continue to have significant benefit for both the natural environment and residents. It is difficult to over- estimate the benefits these areas provide in a Borough that has long suffered from having some of the most deprived wards in the UK. The benefits of these area are for all the people of Walsall and the surrounding area. These environmental and health and wellbeing benefits help to mitigate the already serious problems of traffic noise, pollution, over development and general noise and congestion in the area. Walsall in real terms needs more not less green belt.
The sites detailed above given their size and the intensity of development proposed would make an already significant problem materially worse, it would reduce the amenity of both existing and new residents and have long term adverse consequences for the Borough. I would hope action could be taken to enhance and improve the existing green belt provision, not destroy this crucial fragile asset, which has on-going long term benefits.
LUC consultants in their report of September 2019 ( copy attached ) ,please see comments at page 23, paragraph 49 in respect of L31 ( which covers both the Calderfields and Sutton Road, Longwood Lane sites ) recognise clearly the significant benefits of retaining the green belt and the material adverse impacts any development at the two sites would have. As stated previously, there are significant amenity considerations/ benefits to residents and the local and wider environment of Walsall in retaining and working to enhance the green belt. I think these benefits could also reasonably said to include health and wellbeing, these could be classed as a relevant planning consideration. I submit, that there is judicial precedent for this, please see the judgment of Pill LJ in West Midlands Probation Committee v (1) Secretary of State for the Environment (2) Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.