Object

Representation ID: 19298

Received: 27/09/2021

Respondent: Mrs Rosemary Ball

Having lived in my house for 45 years , paying Council tax to Wolverhampton City Council, I feel that I am well within my right to firstly , commend the Council for their regeneration of brownfield sites within their area. That said there are countless such sites still undeveloped and generally causing an eye sore to people travelling in and out of the City. I suggest that the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment should have highlighted these and I question whether they actually visited the greenfield sites they've highlighted. Andy Street has said there is 'a significant pipeline of brownfield sites across the area' and Councillor Ian Brookfield has stated on many occasions that brownfield sites would be built on first and yet in the proposed Black Country Plan, he finds 3 if not 4 greenfileld sites not 2 miles from his house!
Secondly, when there are numerous newspaper and other media reports daily of the ravages of climate change and equally the need to keep open spaces for our general wellbeing and exercise, schools,charities and householders such as myself that are sewing wildflower meadows or planting trees in an attempt to do our bit to combat climate change, what proposals are put infront of us ! The sacrifice of large swathes of greenfield sites within Bushbury, which will have catastrophic effects.
In 1969 Bushbury baths were constructed on the ridge of Bushbury Heights, almost the last urban outpost of Wolverhampton before the countryside was reached. Since then the Moseley Parklands development was completed and Northicote Senior School demolished, reducing education provision in that area. Roads in the proposed area are busy enough as it is and quite unsafe for cyclists - have a look to see what happened to Jayne and Jodie Scrivens in 1994/5! Massive impact on levels of traffic, congestion, air pollution, noise and general road safety all come into question.Moseley Old Hall lies just on the edge of the one proposed area - a building of considerable historical importance as is Northicote Farm.
The area around there provides a beautiful tranquil oasis for many of the local residents who work in Wolverhampton or further afield, as well as providing a peaceful resting place for hundreds of local residents in Bushbury Cemetery. With proposed development of the old Ordnance factory on the M54, even though outside Wolverhampton boundary, but only just, that whole green area will be gone forever and I for one will not be happy with the lack of green open spaces my Grandchildren can access in years to come, long after I am resting in the cemetery.

I appreciate living space is needed, but surely not at the expense of lovely open spaces where you can run your fingers through the grass and smile!