Object

Representation ID: 16482

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Elizabeth Mincher

REGARDING SITES WAH237 AND WAH253 IN PARTICULAR.

Destruction of Green Belt.
The Black Country Plan mentions "Health and Wellbeing" and "Mental Health" (1.34, 1.35 and 1.36). As far as I am aware, the purpose of designated "Green Belt" was to help prevent urban sprawl. There are precious few areas of Green Belt within the Black Country, or anywhere else for that matter. I think it is generally agreed that the loss of Green Belt so far has been regrettable. It is clear it has been protected for good reasons. Why are those same reasons no longer valid or valued? Once gone, Green Belt can never be recovered.
The physical and mental benefits of green spaces cannot be denied. Any psychologist would recommend spending time in such places, they would never recommend visiting a housing estate to improve one's wellbeing. I have lived in Aldridge for 45 years and enjoyed the environment here as have my children. During the pandemic, many people, not only Aldridge residents, came here to enjoy the green spaces around this area. When the local Golf Club opened its land to the public during lockdown, hundreds of people took the opportunity to benefit from the offer. It is widely acknowledged that walking in green spaces is recommended to improve mental heath problems. Why would anyone want to reduce the remaining Green Belt when there are so many other sites for redevelopment and regeneration?
This is not only a selfish point of view. I will be getting on for 80 years old by the time this happens. I will have enjoyed the environment for over 50 years. People still refer to Aldridge as a "village". I would like this to continue so that future generations can enjoy it too. I think it is important to value and maintain its character instead of turning it into another endless sprawl of housing estates. We can see the downside to the urban mass surrounding Birmingham.


I think it is important to remember that the areas outlined to provide much needed homes are already "homes" - for wildlife, plants, insects, crops. We are not the most important "life" on the planet. Loss of habitat must surely be considered otherwise David Attenborough has wasted his time. Have we learned nothing about conservation from the evidence in front of us?

Boris Johnson, in his most recent speech, declared there would be no building on fields. This is directly at odds with this Plan. Will this be taken into account in the planning?

Brownfield Sites
1.43 c Reviewing the role and extent of Green Belt
This says that "evidence suggests" there is a deficit in brownfield land supply. What is the evidence of this? Is there a list of Brownfield sites you have considered and rejected? There is a huge site in Middlemore Lane, Aldridge, formerly occupied by McKechnie's, I believe. This does not appear to part of the building plan. Is this because the house builders do not want to lose profit when cleaning the site?
I would have thought regeneration of land and areas was more important than swallowing chunks of Green Belt.
The new houses on the proposed sites will not even help those most in need, first time buyers. The new builds will be too expensive for those struggling to get onto the property ladder owing to the premium applied on a green area.

1.43 h "Health and Wellbeing".
Again, loss of Green Belt and the extension of built areas will not contribute to this goal. We will lose more than we gain.

Impact on local services
Doctors, schools, dentists, parking spaces. All of these will be impacted negatively by the proposed development, services which are already stretched. It is doubtful the services will be in place before completion of the buildings.


Extraction of sand and gravel from the sites in preparation for the development.
Sand and gravel extraction in Branton Hill has already caused years of problems and should be a lesson well learned judging from the protests from residents there and the noise and nuisance they experienced. This process will affect residents on many fronts - increased traffic, dirt, pollution from vehicles, air quality, general quality of life.

Access to the sites
Stonnall Road and Lazyhill Road both become narrow country lanes as they proceed to Chester Road. The increased volume of traffic will cause disruption, congestion and concerns with residents' safety. Both roads have a 30 mph limit which is regularly exceeded in anticipation of the country lanes which people assume will be without a speed limit or, if they are aware of the limit, they ignore it