Policy WM2 - Protecting and Enhancing Existing Waste Management Capacity

Yes, but:

The Core Strategy includes policies to safeguard existing strategic waste management capacity and enable existing waste management infrastructure to expand or relocate where appropriate. RTAB fully supports the ambitions of these policies. It would be instructive to know whether they have been invoked - whether existing sites have been successfully defended against proposals for, or lost to, other uses. Similarly, it would be helpful to be informed whether proposals for expansion, redevelopment or relocation have been supported under the terms of these policies.

RTAB has some concerns about the potential implications of the continued release of surplus employment land for housing. These concerns stem from situations where land use conflicts have occurred because 'sensitive' land uses have been allowed on land adjacent or close to established waste management operations or proposed waste development sites. This can adversely affect the waste management activity and constrain its expansion or improvement.

This situation would not appear to be addressed explicitly in the existing policy base. Current policy DEL2 addresses the way in which the balance between employment land and housing land is to be managed. Policy WM2 includes a criterion against which proposals for expansion etc of waste infrastructure uses are to be considered; this addresses the issue of 'existing land use conflicts'. Now that the Environment Agency is no longer a statutory consultee on planning applications within 250m of waste sites, RTAB would like to see a strengthened policy included in the revised Core Strategy to safeguard established waste operations and development sites from incompatible development on adjacent or nearby land.

Black country core strategy consultation- a few weeks ago I visited the stall in the Rye Market, Stourbridge relating to the above consultation. I was frankly unimpressed both with the lack of information, and in the questions posed in the questionnaire. To answer these questions sensibly take a level of knowledge that most residents of the borough cannot possibly possess. In one sense, I was reminded of he utter impossibility of weighing up the conflicting evidence in the Brexit referendum, when even those with a robust knowledge of socio economic policies would have experienced difficulties in making an informed decision! However, perhaps to keep me quiet, I was given a full copy of the issues and options report, which I have been studying since-though much of this is extremely specialist, making reference to other reports. I do feel now that I am able to comment with a degree of understanding on some areas of the report and these follow.

Transport
The impact of phasing out fossil fuels for cars won't be felt until 2040, but any planning should now look into this-this is acknowledged (P91/2, 6.1.24, and especially p95 6.1.39) what plans are being made through to facilitate charging points in residential areas where there is no access to off street parking?

social care- the elderly
The rapidly changing demographic that sees an ageing population increasing should have been specifically included in the 10 objectives listed on P35. Again, p50, 5.8, fails to target this group. However, p62, 6.10;p63 6.13 p99, 6.1.53 all go some way to redress these earlier omissions, though I would question why this sector of the population were not mentioned earlier in the general objectives. There is however the "bigger picture" that no one body seems capable of grasping, at either local or national level, and this is having and will continue to have a huge impact on the affordable housing market as detailed on pp68-69 6.35 to 6.40. Before care costs became so expensive, the estate of deceased parents was passed down to their children, who could often release this or some of this, to enable the grandchildren to put down a deposit on a house. However much of the estate of the elderly is now taken up with care costs, leaving little to release back into the general economy, impacting on the numbers of first time buyers. Increased tuition fees for higher education also impact on this scenario. Whilst I acknowledge this is a national problem, its effects are going to have an impact on any local planning for both lifelong housing and affordable housing.

Regeneration of town centres
P84, 6.84 Ref Stourbridge. The inner ring road precludes much more town centre development, but I would suggest that vacant units be made available for community/arts groups to bring a new sense of vitality into the town centre
Waste
P104, Figure 12 this shows the key role the Stourbridge Birmingham road civic amenity site has in providing for the south of the region. Any suggestions to close this and relocate to brierley hill will have a disproportionate impact on the local environment.

as for the rest?

I'm not in an informed position to comment. Anything that promotes the realisation of the diagram on P61, Figure 10, should be embraced and celebrated, but resources are deemed to be finite, and therefore I have to rely on the authenticity and transparency of both local employed officers who are specialists, and local elected representatives who should be above part pettiness and keen to secure the best deals for their electorate I hope this isn't asking too much yours truly Kevin Street