Object

Representation ID: 17494

Received: 12/10/2021

Respondent: Occupier x

We wish to register our objections to the above Black Country Plan and the proposed development of Greenbelt land.

We feel there is enough Brownfield Land and old Industrial Sites to accommodate housing targets within Walsall without the destruction of precious Greenbelt land.

The proposed development would significantly harm the openness of the green belt which is an integral part of the character and landscape. Loss of the existing views and both privacy and overlooking would adversely affect the residential amenity of neighbouring owners.

We also feel that the Greenbelt land contributes to the quality of the adjacent Arboretum which directly overlooks the open fields with it's grazing animals and forms an essential part of the setting of the Arboretum, which is Walsall's flagship park and conservation area. We need to protect the towns few exceptional assets.

We are also concerned on the impact it will have on the local wildlife. The development site itself is known to have the protected species of bats also red deer, Tawny and Barn owls, woodpecker, skylarks, Nuthatches, buzzards, and parakeets.

The development site would sit in the middle of the Arboretum, Arboretum extension, Park Lime Pits and Hayhead (SNICs) which would destroy wildlife corridors and light overspill may negatively impact the bats and other wildlife causing destruction of habitats.

It is also known that the Arboretum, the Aldridge Road and the proposed site have a history of flooding and concreting over the countryside will exasperate this.

Green Belt is there for a reason, to stop urban sprawl, prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another, to assist the countryside from encroachment and to preserve the setting and special character of our town.

There is also the question of access to and from this site. The local infrastructure (roads, schools etc) will not cater to the extra population and vehicles.

Finally the pandemic has taught us the value of this open space to the health and mental well• being of Walsall residents. The footfall across the arboretum and all our green space has increased dramatically. Don't take away our irreplaceable green space.