Object

Representation ID: 21450

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Shirley Westwood

Wolverhampton area - housing

What happened to the Government's/Prime ministers pledge not to use green belt for building houses?? I live in the Wednesfield area, as well as the plan for house's on Woodend Road we also have the threat of more than 2,000 house's being built on the South Staffordshire border on Linthouse Lane/Kitchen Lane, which in itself will create much more traffic congestion within this area, which is already busy enough! What about schools, Dr's surgeries and local hospital service's already bursting at the seams??? there is hardly any mention of improvement's or plan's to add any only 'if needed', In the midst of the lockdown earlier this year, I saw a traffic counter strip laid down Linthouse Lane and I did think to myself are they counting vehicles to see how busy it get's down this road because they are talking about building these extra houses? I really hope this was not the case as how underhand would that be, as it would not be a true picture and not under normal circumstances. I really don't think the feeling's of local people have or won't be considered regarding these plan's, as the green belt areas are very close to our heart's, they are where we spend our leisure time running, walking, taking our dog's out, basically just chilling out in our bit of nature and once it's gone that's it, no going back. I have watched house's being built in this area and what really bother's me is that so much social and affordable housing is needed yet what do we see?
properties being built that are way over £200,000 or you can possibly buy half a house and rent the other half - really! if there is any social housing it's a small minority within that plan that looks like an after thought like 'oh remember we said we'd give them some affordable/ social housing best put it up that corner, that should suffice so we can make the most money off the bigger houses we're building on this lovely prime green belt area', it's all about £££££. I understand the need for new housing, but it should be in the interest of each council to find brownfield first and to consider the local infrastucture, to regenerate an area perhap's run down because of factories being no longer in use, whatever the reason you can bet the housebuilding companies won't be as interested in these because they can make more money from premium greenbelt countryside, they don't want the hassle of preparing old land but they should be encouraged to by local councils as we would not have so many run down, derelict, unsightly areas. I would emplore the council to go down this route first for housing and leave as much of our green belt to be enjoyed by generation's to come.