Policy WSA7 – Calderfields West, Land at Aldridge Road, Walsall

Comment

Representation ID: 22365

Received: 24/01/2022

Respondent: Taylor Wimpey

Agent: Avison Young

In order for the Draft Plan to be sound it must provide a clear strategy for bringing sufficient land forward, and at a sufficient rate, to address objectively assessed needs over the Plan period. Because the BCAs must also identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide a minimum of five years’ worth of housing against its housing requirement, the Draft Plan is also required to identify specific, deliverable sites for years one to five of the plan period and then sufficient developable sites, or broad areas of growth, for the remainder of the plan period.
The Glossary to the NPPF defines ‘deliverable’ sites as being available now, offering a suitable location for development. In order for a site to be considered ‘developable’ it should be in a suitable location for housing development with a reasonable prospect that it will be available and could be viably developed at the point envisaged.
Our Client welcomes the Draft Plan’s recognition that the site can, and should, deliver a development that is capable of materially contributing to Walsall, and the Black Country’s housing requirements. The site is available, offers a suitable location for development and is achievable with a realistic prospect of delivering housing within the first five years of the plan period.
Chapter 13 provides details of the number of dwellings that could be delivered on each housing allocation site. According to the BCAs calculations, the Draft BCP assumes that land south of Aldridge Road is capable of delivering 592 dwellings at a net density of 35 dph. However, as alluded to previously in these representations, having assessed the various technical constraints and other factors that might influence development, Taylor Wimpey concludes that the site could accommodate approximately 360 market and affordable dwellings. This would still make a meaningful contribution to the delivery of both market and affordable housing in the Black Country.
Moreover, the Plan identifies the site, amongst other, as a strategic allocation, taking into account its size and the number of dwellings it has the potential to deliver. Each strategic allocation has a separate policy (in this case Policy WSA7) that provides details of the specific constraints and requirements affecting development. Decisions on planning applications for these sites will, therefore, be made in accordance with their specific policy requirements. Table 2 (below) lists the policy requirements in full insofar as they relate to Taylor Wimpey’s site at Aldridge Road. To provide Officers with the comfort that Taylor Wimpey’s proposals for the site can still satisfy the requirements of Policy WSA7, Table 2 also describes how the development will accord with each of the design principles.
Table 2 – Policy WSA7 Design Principles
Design Principle [DP] Taylor Wimpey’s Proposals at Aldridge Road [TWPAR]
[1]Local Facilities
[DP] Deliver appropriate local facilities to support new residents and to enhance the sustainability of the existing area, including a new primary school and local health centre.
[TWPAR] In light of the reduced number of dwellings capable of being delivered on site, Taylor Wimpey will, instead, make the appropriate financial contributions to ensure that any impacts arising from the development on local services and amenities is satisfactorily mitigated, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 57 of the NPPF .
[2] Contaminated Land
[DP] Investigation and detailed proposals for the remediation of contaminated land.
[TWPAR]A Phase 1 Ground Investigation Study will be prepared prior to the submission of a planning application.
[3] Transport Strategy
[DP] A transport strategy that ensures that the transport impacts of the development are appropriately managed and mitigated.
[TWPAR] There is potential to provide a minimum of two safe and visible highway access points into the site from Aldridge Road to the north and Buchanan Road to the west, which will make for a permeable scheme. Bus stops located directly opposite the site along Aldridge Road provide residents with suitable and appropriate non-car travel options.
[4] Pedestrians and Cyclists
[DP] Enhanced provision for pedestrians and cyclists, including enhanced connectivity with the town centre.
[TWPAR] The existing PRoW along the site’s western boundary will be retained and enhanced as part of a network of publicly accessible pedestrian and cycles routes through the site into new recreational greenspaces to the south, as well as to adjacent residential streets to the west to improve linkages to Walsall Town Centre.
[5] Sustainable Drainage
[DP] A site-wide Sustainable Drainage Strategy, to ensure that drainage requirements can be met on site and are designed to deliver landscape, biodiversity and amenity benefits.
[TWPAR] Development on the site would include the appropriate use of SuDs, including suitable attenuation measures, to ensure that a betterment in surface water management would be achieved.
[6] Landscape and Ecology
[DP] A strategy for landscape and habitat creation, in particular along the southern boundary to the Arboretum, providing new tree planting to ensure there is no significant adverse impact on the visual amenity and character of the Arboretum, nor on protected animal species.
[TWPAR] The proposals will provide an attractive semi-rural ‘transitional’ open space to the south of the development, so as to extend the character of the Arboretum. This will ensure that there is no significant adverse impact on the visual amenity and character of the Arboretum.

Conclusion
These representations have been prepared by Avison Young, on behalf of Taylor Wimpey, in response to the Draft Black Country Plan Regulation 18 consultation document.
These representations are intended to form a robust evidence base upon which an allocation in the Black Country Plan can be found sound at Examination stage. The inclusion of land south of Aldridge Road and its acknowledgement by the BCAs as a viable site is supported. The site remains available and could be delivered as a sustainable development opportunity in the short term (0-5 years) to help ensure that the Black Country Authorities are able to meet their objectively assessed housing needs in accordance with the requirements of the NPPF.
Accordingly, it is requested that the Council continue to support the allocation of land south of Aldridge Road, Walsall through the remainder of the plan making process.

Object

Representation ID: 23140

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Roberta Owen

Number of people: 1893

Petition comments

There’s enough housing in the area. Planning to build everywhere and anywhere. Ruining walsall itself nothing left of it- C.Ryan

No more deliberate destruction of green spaces, i.e. parks, fields, wild areas and all sites important to biodiversity. Make developers use every brown site available in the UK, before a single licence is issued for green sites.- P.Badiz


Multiple reasons but my main concern is the infrastructure would not cope with 9k houses! How on earth would the roads/schools/services manage? It’s absolutely ridiculous- L.Morgan

I believe Green belt should be saved for everybody's benefit.- R.Burton

Leave the green belt alone, there's plenty of brownfield sites & empty properties that can be developed. So then there will be no need to move conservation boundaries!!! Or have the sealed brown envelopes already changed hands!!!!- S.Conmor

The Green Belt has been eroded too much in this area of outstanding beauty ….. please put a stop to it now !!!!!!!-A. Gt Wyrley

It's the only park where children can play in Walsall and it's heritage site- M.Hughes

Need to keep the green bent land clear of new developments when there are significant amounts of brown bent land that could be built on.- P.McIntosh

It needs to be preserved. It's obvious- D.Parker

As the pandemic has shown, green space is vital for our mental health. Stop taking the easy option - start looking at using brownfield sites! - R.Duncombe

Too much lost already.-R.Hey-Smith

Our green belt is a haven for wildlife at a time when it has never been more important to the eco system.-D. Gt Wyrley

I live opposite where people are trying to build houses. Fresh country air is what we need. My grandfather had [Redacted-sensitive information] The air helped him live longer from his [Redacted-sensitive information. I hate it when people cut back on land and build houses.-S.May

I oppose building on this piece of farmland. It will spoil the area.-P.Hobley

Too much green belt is being destroyed and Walsall town centre needs to be improved to encourage more people to live in it and use it- S.Davies

We need green belt areas. Wildlife needs to be protected and open areas help with our mental health.- J.Iqbal

I am concerned about the negative impact- W.Khan

There are plenty of places to build in Walsall and the Black Country without touching green belt land. Where will it end if this goes ahead?-K.Ward

Build on brown sites. No need to take this green and harm wildlife. We need this vermin eating wildlife in the area.-S.Lynock

Our green spaces & wildlife areas are so precious for today & future generations! A little more money to build elsewhere & we all benefit from new homes & keep green
belt!- A.Barrington

This insanity must stop. Green space is VITAL for everyone’s health. It cannot be ‘put back’ later.- N.Perry

We need to stand up to fat cat developers! This is our breathing space, our pollinators home, our carbon sink, our chance to save oir planet. Develop brown field sites and leave the green alone!- B.Taylor

The time over the lockdown has shown how valuable green spaces are for both people local to it and those that can travel to it. Removing this by building is pure ignorance and done without care for people's well being. The amount of buildings and spaces to both renovate and build on without disturbing this green area is huge in Walsall. The council need to really focus on what's right and do the right thing and this isn't it. Earn your money and look around you and think out of the box rather than
the easy option and look back at your own families during the last 2 years and see how valuable these spaces were to them!- C.Wall

There are enough brownfield sites to build on, we need to protect our Green Belt. There are enough brownfield sites to build on, we need to protect our Green Belt.- C.Knight

The council needs to take the residents of the local area into consideration.- U.Abdurahman

I don’t want the green belt being destroyed, there are soo many other areas they could develop. So please keep our green area alone -J.Shilla

We need to keep our green spaces- B.Sweeney

As a former resident of Walsall, I think the town has enough derelict buildings and land to build on, without starting any more green field destruction. It could also be the thin end of the wedge for the arbitrary extension.- T.Grayson

We need more greenery not buildings- K.Hayre

Green belt should be saved. Stunning country side being ruined!!!- R.Shocker

I don’t want this beautiful piece of land being spoilt and made into a concrete jungle!- S.Khattra

To support the existing community-R.Mistry

I don’t want any houses being built on the green belt, as it’s so peaceful and we love all the animals that have made a home on the green belt … don’t ruin the great out
doors we have in here- N.Kaur

The vital need for open green space for our health and well-being has never been more apparent than in the pandemic. This is a shocking proposal. Building on green
belt land should not be an option when there are brownfield sites and other options available for housing.- J.Ridding

The green space here is vital the well being of residents from Walsall. It’s a respite from the busy town centre which is not far away and makes Walsall a pleasant place
to live.-M.Ridding

I know Walsall arboretum and I’m a keen birdwatcher and wildlife enthusiast.This is an absolute disgrace !!-C.Scarff

I'm signing because green belt land is too precious to be built on. -H.Martin

Green spaces are precious.-M.Heath

There are lots of brownfield sites in the area Why not improve those with redevelopment- S.Hubbard

I am signing this petition to try to stop the development of 592 houses in the area that I live. Besides the size of the development which is far too large and will be to the detriment of the area, there will be a huge problem with traffic feeding into Mellish Road and Lichfield Road and travelling also the traffic travelling into Aldridge.-S.Griffin

We need green spaces and wild life corridors. The people who fill up the rabbit hutch homes that are built often have no gardens. We still need places to walk and wander and breathe.- E.Purshouse

This area needs to be protected for the wildlife a provide green space vital to Walsall residents- J.Hall

It’s important that we retain this area - Walsall I believe has caused me lung problems from pollution - we must have clean non polluted air with more green accessible areas .- P.Ashe

I live near the arboretum and have for the last 20 years, my children have grown up with this green belt as a protected space. I can hear the sheep grazing sometimes in the quietness from my home. I'm proud that the area is wildlife rich and animals reside here and have enjoyed protection. I want the greenbelt to remain as a sanctuary for humans and animals in the busy town.-F.Venables

We need more green space not less-J.Mattocks

There are empty buildings in the centre of town that could be converted into housing in order to bring back life to town centres.- C.Wilde

I'm signing because there are plenty of brown field sites in the Borough-G.Shipley

Walsall’s green belt is vital for the community.-J.Boutonnet

We should not be building on our green belt. It's green belt for a reason!-M.Browning

Beautiful walks for dogs to enjoy… wild life thrives… let future generations enjoy… DO NOT BUILD and ruin the jewel in Walsall’s crown.-J.O’Hare.

Just stop building on green land. Plenty of brown sites available. We all humans and wildlife need green spaces for survival- S.Zealand

There is no need to choose greenbelt first, there are enough brownfield sites which can be used for housing. We need to hold developers/councils to account for not only our own physical health and mental wellbeing but that of future generations and the protection of the areas flora and fauna.-L.Hawkes

I live on the perimeter of the Arboretum and do not want to lose our precious greenbelt and its wildlife. There are many areas of Walsall that could be rejuvenated for this purpose-J.Wharton

We need this space! -S.Surgenor

We need to preserve our green spaces at all costs.-C.Cooke

There are plenty of brownfield sites in and around Walsall that are in massive need of redevelopment that haven't been proposed in the plans yet they plan to destroy
some of the little greenbelt we have left, it makes no sense and will be to the detriment of the town.-C.Hall

Destroying greenbelt and biodiversity in this day and age is criminal -G.Steinke

Brownfield sites should be developed before any green belt is developed. We have seen recentky that the arboretum flooded and this development will make that worse. It's a lovely place to go to teach my daughter about nature and this will force a lotbof the wildlife out of the area- G.Middleton

Green belt is green belt for a reason, to protect it for further generations-L.Highway

It makes no sense to destroy what green space we have left when there are so many brown sites that could be utilised.- E.Chmielewski

we need more green not over-priced rubbish starter homes that no one can afford, have no space or character and do not address the housing problems .- A.McKnight

Walsall does not have enough green belt space. We have plenty of brown sites available, use them. The extra expense should not be a consideration, it means the
applicant will not have as much profit- A.Pearce

Because of the lost of green space. Over development- I.Purcell

It's obvious. Build on green belt and you rob future generations of open land with access. It privatises a public resource. It's like a new version of the Enclosure Act which removed free common access rights to a third of all land in England some 200 years ago - which led to riots in Walsall.-J.Edlin

I am signing this because we need to reserve the nature and green belt. To help with the affect if the ozone layer and the future of our kids.-S.Sohpal

Everybody should be trying to save our green belts especially when there are brown sites that can by used-W.Hart

this is going to unpick a wildlife corridor; brown field sites should be used first-J.Macmillan

With the global climate crisis, please make the right decision, and DON'T BUILD ON THE GREENBELT! The residents of Walsall - 2-legged, 4-legged, winged, webfooted and otherwise- deserve better from their council. Don't be THAT council that sold their grandchildrens' right to clean air, and a place to run about, and chase butterflies, find frogs, and watch ants and bees at work, just to short-sightedly make
money in the short-term. DO THE RIGHT THING!- N.Palmer

Green belt should remain as green belt.-K.Hollingsworth

I'm signing because we should protect our green belt as in Walsall town itself has very little close countryside. Build on areas of derelict factories or brown site areas.-P.Hollingsworth

It's an important issue-R.Harvey

I want to keep Walsall’s green space Green and the road system can just about cope with the Trafic we have! People keep banging on about keeping the air clean yet
people want to keep polluting it by building new houses and causing slower Trafic which causes more pollution!- A.Griffiths

No justifiable reasons for building on precious greenbelt when brownfield sites are available. We need to look after protected species, wildlife and green spaces not destroy them, this includes the arboretum. Save our green belt.- V.Dewitt

There's not enough green space left to destroy what we have - much better for environment to build on- J.Green

Many enjoyable days spent here.- K.Westbrook

The arboretum is a beauty spot we need to protect- C.Anson

We need our green spaces in Walsall - a very deprived area of the Country- L.Wood

To protect the wild life..-S.Asghar

Green space is vital to so many people and wildlife. Don't destroy something that can never be replaced.-L.Townsend

This area should be protected there are plenty of brown land that could be used for houses this is greenbekt land leave it alone.- C.Jones

Our open spaces are important for so many reasons. Wildlife, mental health, protection of ground and property, pollution reduction.-E.Lifford

Building on this land will damage the arboretum and deny children from homes without cars the chance to see domestic animals up close. There are plenty of
brownfield sites to use locally! -S.Bingham

There are plenty of Brownfield sites. Need is for affordable social housing not expensive ( read profitable ) modern 4/5 bedroom boxes.-P.Bull

I am a resident in Walsall. There are numerous areas available in Walsall that could be used to build housing in different areas, not just one huge area. We DO NOT need to keep using green belt land...how much more will be lost for our ever deteriorating wildlife. Their habitats need to be left alone. We, as residents need to maintain the surrounding areas of countryside and green belt land that we have and even further afield. No more green belt land should be used - anywhere. Many cities and towns have areas that are run down and need regeneration. Regenerate first - green belt last!!!- J.Jones

Green belt to be kept. Build on brown sites-M.Partridge

Leave the green belt alone-G.Parker

The Arboretum is one of the only things Walsall has got going for it these days, please don’t destroy it. Develop the town centre and other brownfield sites instead and bring some life back to the area, rather than taking away more green belt.-K.Woolley

We need to protect our wildlife-L.Sweet

Walsall has suffered enough at he hands of urban planners. There are plenty of better alternatives.- C.Smith

Green Spaces need to be protected-L.White

Green belt land must not be used before brown field sites-C.Fereday

We need our green spaces more than ever! Plenty of brownfield sites that could be utilized with some creative thinking!- H.Gibbs

I'm sick of the destruction of our greenbelt land, it's nothing but pure greed from both property developers and local councils.-J.Mahoney

This is my local area and we want to keep it as green as possible- A.Dhariwal

The green belt land around Walsall is absolutely priceless and should never even be considered for development. We have countless brownfield sites that need development but instead focus is put on destroying invaluable wildlife habitat that is the very lungs of our town.- J.Whittick

Too many houses being built on our ever shrinking green areas -N.Partridge

I want to protect green spaces within the town centre and to protect the wildlife.-D.Robinson

We need to save what little green belt we have in walsall.-T.Morgan


As a Walsall resident and regular user/visitor of the arboretum I feel any housing development encroaching on the land would be detrimental. The arboretum and surrounding countryside is a well used resource by many people of all ages. There are more beneficial ways for any development to the land to supplement its existing use rather than destroying the existing environment.-S.Cowley

Our open spaces need to be protected ... the quality of the air we brrath is diminishing. We need open spaces for our mental well being I'm signing for the sake of our physical and mental health.-P.Buckley

I don’t want development on Sutton road green belt .-T.Morris

Developers have been trying to build here for years, successful campaigns have thwarted every attempt so far. Don't let them win, this won't be social housing, more
posh houses built to achieve maximum profit. Watch the planning committees very carefully.-G.Nicholson

I am signing because I was born in the Midlands and there are much of the green land gone- E.Saunders

Object

Representation ID: 23391

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: West Midlands CPRE

Agent: Gerald Kells

WAM242 (WSA 7) Walsall Next to Arboretum
This site is immediately adjacent to the Walsall Arboretum Extension bounded also by Fernleigh Road the Aldridge Road and the Calderfields Golf Club. As well as intruding into the Green Belt it would be highly visible from the Arboretum, sloping upwards from the Arbore- tum. It is unlikely that planting could mitigate the impact of such a development on the Park. It would significantly increase the developed land around the park impacting on its character in a way that is considered entirely unacceptable. While there is a bus service on the Aldridge Road, the distance to that route would be off- putting making it a largely car-based development. An application to develop this site in 2014 (14/0927/FL) was refused. The reasons for refusal highlight the significant harm to the green belt and the visual impact on the Arboretum. These considerations have not changed. The site is also considered inconsistent with Policy ENV8.
Green Belt assessment in Land Use Consultants’ 2019 Green Belt Study – High

Object

Representation ID: 45371

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Peter Gough

As someone who was born and lived in Walsall all my life I strongly object to the building on the green belt which is rapidly vanishing from the area.
If Sutton Road/ Longwood Lane and Calderfields, Aldridge Road are built on it will devastate the area..

Object

Representation ID: 45412

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Carolyn Gough

As a local resident, I am unhappy with the plans to build on precious green belt land, which I believe is rapidly shrinking and which is a much needed asset for the mental and physical well-being of local residents. In particular the areas earmarked for Sutton Road/Longwood Lane and Calderfields, Aldridge Road, both being important natural habitats.

Object

Representation ID: 45849

Received: 07/09/2021

Respondent: Mr Joseph Horton

I wish to strongly protest against the development at Calderfields, Sutton Road and Longwood Lane and Pheasey Park Farm development. I am deadly opposed to this development as I don't want to see greenbelt development around where I live for as long as I live for my children and grandchildren.