Object

Representation ID: 17193

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Steven Jinks

Biodiversity or Geodiversity on the site - How can this be scored as green as surely developing any green belt space must have a negative impact on the areas overall biodiversity. Has the mandatory biodiversity net gain (part of the Environment Bill) which forces all development schemes to deliver 10% biodiversity net gain to be maintained for at least 30 years taken into consideration when scoring this site. Until this has been completed independently this aspect of the assessment should score at least an amber. This is area is a wildlife corridor housing dozens of animals birds and insects which appears to have been glossed over in the site assessment document. [redacted] the very fact these animals chose to live in the is area suggests a wide range of others smaller animals can also be found in the immediate area. [redacted]

Highways Access and Transportation -High way access via the Kingsway Road ( which is the likely access point)will cause issues to all local residents as it is already effectively only one car wide due to cars parking in front of the flats. Two cars cannot pass side by side safely. Access to the local school already causes chaos 2 / 3 times a day and increasing houses and therefore traffic in the area will only make this existing issue more hazardous. Public transport in the area is under utilised and if increased to support more residents as proposed will cause safety issues each time.

Social - Healthcare - The local General Practice Lion Health is already over subscribed with many patients experiencing very poor customer service. This is reported on an almost daily basis via one form or another. The addition of 90 additional houses, averaging 3 persons per house will increase the pressure on already struggling GP facilities. In addition the the local concerns, its is known that South Staffordshire Planning have agreed private development on triangle of land on the corner of Bridgnorth and Vicarage Road) and clearly state within their plans that facilities within Wollaston are to used. In this instance South Staffs get the "tick in the box" for providing a number of dwellings, will receive the associated tax but certain services will be provided by DMBC, and increase pressure on the local services within Wollaston. This is something I strongly object too.

Local Facilities - Residents already struggle with local parking and access to local shops, more housing will only make this situation worse. Recently this area has seen many expansions with no improvemtn to local infrastructure to support the develoements that have been built. (Examples include Richardson Drive 15 houses, Dalton Brook 150 houses, Wentworth Road 5 houses, old scholl site in the old quarter 55 houses) - The local area cannot keep absorbing this constant increase in housing in the area.

Summary - Following a conversation with Dudley Planners, it is known that this area has been selected due to the lack of "feasible" brown sites to develop, but what happens once this "easy" green space is gone, what does the future hold. Will councils and government continue to avoid these " difficult" brownfield site and continue to attack green spaces in areas that already have been identified as having a " below average quantity of open spaces". I fear this development will simply pave the way for further erosion of green belt land in the immediate area. Please protect this Green Belt Land for now and for the future