Policy WSA8 – Land between Queslett Road, Doe Bank Lane and Aldridge Road, Pheasey

Object

Representation ID: 15657

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Barbara Thomas

Having read the "BLACK COUNTRY PLAN" planning for the future of the Black Country my wife and I wish to object most strongly to the draft proposal to build up to 960 homes on the GREEN BELT land on the Aldridge Road / Queslett Road East. In addition to that we object also to the proposal to build on GREEN BELT land up to 7000 homes in the Aldridge Brownhills constituency.
The area of Streetly - Aldridge is already poorly serviced in terms of amenities, public transport and schools. The proposal to build these homes would put a catastrophic burden on the local community. I would have thought the Black Country has more than it's fair share of BROWNFIELD SITES to choose from! Change the strategy - BROWNFIELD SITES for homes, keep off the Green Belt! Attached are the homes of those people who agree with the above comments and objections, all of whom value our green spaces!

Object

Representation ID: 15659

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Philip Thomas

Having read the "BLACK COUNTRY PLAN" planning for the future of the Black Country my wife and I wish to object most strongly to the draft proposal to build up to 960 homes on the GREEN BELT land on the Aldridge Road / Queslett Road East. In addition to that we object also to the proposal to build on GREEN BELT land up to 7000 homes in the Aldridge Brownhills constituency.
The area of Streetly - Aldridge is already poorly serviced in terms of amenities, public transport and schools. The proposal to build these homes would put a catastrophic burden on the local community. I would have thought the Black Country has more than it's fair share of BROWNFIELD SITES to choose from! Change the strategy - BROWNFIELD SITES for homes, keep off the Green Belt! Attached are the homes of those people who agree with the above comments and objections, all of whom value our green spaces!

Object

Representation ID: 15663

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Emma Thomas

Having read the "BLACK COUNTRY PLAN" planning for the future of the Black Country my wife and I wish to object most strongly to the draft proposal to build up to 960 homes on the GREEN BELT land on the Aldridge Road / Queslett Road East. In addition to that we object also to the proposal to build on GREEN BELT land up to 7000 homes in the Aldridge Brownhills constituency.
The area of Streetly - Aldridge is already poorly serviced in terms of amenities, public transport and schools. The proposal to build these homes would put a catastrophic burden on the local community. I would have thought the Black Country has more than it's fair share of BROWNFIELD SITES to choose from! Change the strategy - BROWNFIELD SITES for homes, keep off the Green Belt! Attached are the homes of those people who agree with the above comments and objections, all of whom value our green spaces!

Object

Representation ID: 15668

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Alan Savage

Having read the "BLACK COUNTRY PLAN" planning for the future of the Black Country my wife and I wish to object most strongly to the draft proposal to build up to 960 homes on the GREEN BELT land on the Aldridge Road / Queslett Road East. In addition to that we object also to the proposal to build on GREEN BELT land up to 7000 homes in the Aldridge Brownhills constituency.
The area of Streetly - Aldridge is already poorly serviced in terms of amenities, public transport and schools. The proposal to build these homes would put a catastrophic burden on the local community. I would have thought the Black Country has more than it's fair share of BROWNFIELD SITES to choose from! Change the strategy - BROWNFIELD SITES for homes, keep off the Green Belt! Attached are the homes of those people who agree with the above comments and objections, all of whom value our green spaces!

Object

Representation ID: 15669

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Judith Savage

Having read the "BLACK COUNTRY PLAN" planning for the future of the Black Country my wife and I wish to object most strongly to the draft proposal to build up to 960 homes on the GREEN BELT land on the Aldridge Road / Queslett Road East. In addition to that we object also to the proposal to build on GREEN BELT land up to 7000 homes in the Aldridge Brownhills constituency.
The area of Streetly - Aldridge is already poorly serviced in terms of amenities, public transport and schools. The proposal to build these homes would put a catastrophic burden on the local community. I would have thought the Black Country has more than it's fair share of BROWNFIELD SITES to choose from! Change the strategy - BROWNFIELD SITES for homes, keep off the Green Belt! Attached are the homes of those people who agree with the above comments and objections, all of whom value our green spaces!

Object

Representation ID: 15695

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Natural England

Natural England objects to the above allocations. The above sites are in close proximity to Sutton Park Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserve. Sutton Park is one of the most important wildlife site in West Midlands and is known as the green lung of the Black Country. It is a local destination green space for local people in maintaining their connection to nature thus supporting their mental health and wellbeing. A mosaic of habitats including ancient woodland, heathlands and wetland habitat. The wetlands are natural being ground fed but are affected significantly by sewage
and storm water mixing during high intensity rainfall. The wetland habitats here although severely impacted in areas by water pollution, are exceptionally rare in the Midlands and of better quality than those found at Cannock Chase. The topography of the land means that surface water and surface
water drainage which contains pollutants will flow down into the park area consequently compromising the site. It is imperative that any additional housing does not impact upon the wetland environment.

The following issues would need to be addressed for us to be able to remove our objection:

• Water pollution from foul drainage and surface water drainage

The Sutton Park SSSI is currently suffering from significant damage through urban water pollution (e.g. sewage and storm overflow mix during flooding events). The addition of these sites without proper mitigation will worsen an already dire situation.

• Recreational impacts

The SSSI currently suffers from significant recreational pressure. The increased scale of new housing might reasonably be expected to exert excessive pressure on the SSSI through added recreational visits. We advise the councils within the Black Country to review any existing
visitor surveys and commission a new one as necessary in order to identify if there is a threat to the SSSI. Policy in Black Country Local Plan will need to reflect evidence base/any moves to
better understand the situation e.g. alongside Birmingham City Council.

• Air quality. The site is currently exceeding ammonia, nitrogen deposition and acid deposition levels.

The site is highly urbanised in nature and air quality is already an issue for the site.

However these proposal sites also present an opportunity to maintain the vital wildlife corridor (green infrastructure) that links Barr Beacon Local Nature Reserve and existing surrounding green space. There is good green infrastructure connectivity here for bats along the railway corridor which must be maintained to facilitate bats’ movements across the borough. There are good green infrastructure opportunities to enable the Nature Recovery throughout this area.

Object

Representation ID: 15754

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Stevelilart

I am writing to you on behalf of many concerned Great Barr/Streetly residents regarding the proposed housing development on the site of Doe Bank Lane/Queslett Road/Aldridge Road. The proposal is now open to public consultation, giving us the opportunity to provide our point of view until 11th October 2021:

There is a network of established hedgerows containing mature trees including oak and hawthorn
across this designated build site. Casual observation has uncovered 11 RED LISTED BIRD SPECIES on the proposed footprint: [Redacted-sensitive information] Also noted in a half mile radius: [Redacted-sensitive information] plus many more. [Redacted- sensitive information] are also frequently spotted in the spot but [Redacted-sensitive information] origins are unknown. This brief list is not taking into account plants and insects. It would be very interesting to read your ecology report.

Aside from the nature aspect and well being issues associated with green space there is the massive implications of additional traffic and the pollution that this will bring. The Queslett Road/ Aldridge Road and Beacon Road island is constantly grid locked now....and was one of the main reasons that Aldi had a planning application revoked. (That along with the fact they wanted to destroy mature woodland on the edge of the Queslett Nature Reserve) the community came together and voiced their objections then and will do again.

We have a sizable petition which currently has 4440 signatures and growing by the day: https://chng.it/wTKB8Mxh

There is also a Facebook "Save Barr Beacon Greenland"
page https://www.facebook.com/groups/2163943860526504/
We won't let our precious countryside go without an almighty fight!

The following items are taken from the government website:
Protecting the green belt :
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-further-strengthen-green-belt-protections
Drawing on protections in the National Planning Policy Framework, to protect the green lungs
around towns and cities.
Green belt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional cases, through the preparation or
review of the Local Plan.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said:
I am crystal clear that the green belt must be protected from development, so it can
continue to offer a strong defence against urban sprawl.
Today’s new rules strengthen these protections further, and ensure that whether it’s new
homes, business premises or anything else, developers first look for suitable sites on
brownfield land.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-planning-policy-framework/13-protecting-green-beltland


13. Protecting Green Belt
land
137.
The government attaches great importance to Green Belts. The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence.
138. Green Belt serves 5 purposes:
(a) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
(b) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;
(c) to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
(d) to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
(e) to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
Proposals affecting the Green Belt
147. Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be
approved except in very special circumstances.
See attached plus
What has changed in the area to warrant the changing of the conservation boundary?? (other than development plans??)

Object

Representation ID: 15771

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Steven Hodges

Walsall Council
Black Country Plan
Building on green belt land: -
Queslett Road East / Aldridge Road
To whom it may concern,
I was shocked and dismayed to hear the Black Country Plan to build on the Green Belt land at Queslett Road East and Aldridge Road area. This is a small, beautiful area of countryside between the built up areas of Pheasey and Streetly, the fields sweeping up to the famous Midland landmark of Barr Beacon.
This small piece of Green Belt has given pleasure to the people of the local area for many, many years, and is a welcome piece of countryside already surrounded by concrete. Surely other areas could be used for housing.
The Black Country doesn't have the factories of old, and there must be plenty of Brown Field sites which could be used. Please don't ruin this beautiful area. Once these fields have gone, they will be gone forever, and future generations will never be able to see the beautiful green fields which we can all see and enjoy today.

Object

Representation ID: 15782

Received: 01/10/2021

Respondent: David Baker

3) It seems that Walsall town planners are hell bent on increasing urban sprawl by reducing/ removing green belt. By proposing the Queslett road East/ Aldridge Road site, the green space between Birmingham and Walsall disappears in that area allowing a merger of housing with one side of the road in Birmingham and the other in Walsall.

4) There seems little thought to infrastructure needed to accommodate these additional houses. In Walsall it is extremely difficult to get on a doctors list as most are at full capacity. There are no NHS dentists willing to take new patients on. The hospitals are over capacity. There are insufficient ambulances for the number of patients requiring them. Schools are at capacity. There are vague references to new health centres and junior schools being required but no details as to when and where they are to be situated (are they to be built on more green belt land?). Roads around Walsall are very congested already and new housing will only add to it. There are no proposals to mitigate these concerns

Object

Representation ID: 15883

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Kumar Anila

1) The houses that are going to be built on the green belt is very close to my house mentioned above
2) We have infant school few doors away which creates havoc every morning, but the kids have to go to school for education. this building of houses will have serious consequences on dropping and/or picking kids
3) In the summer days young lads race by in their quad bikes at a very high speed up and down on Frampton Way and also on Doe Bank Lane, again building houses close by on the green belt will have future problems for the residents.
To summarise "REJECT"

Object

Representation ID: 15921

Received: 04/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Justine Rees

(WAH234, Policy WSA8)

How can these plans reflect the countrys/ world preservation. Global warming. Using building equipment lorries etc. More cars on the road, when houses built. Losing British animals and local crops, importing from abroad. More clutter/ rubbish deposited / dumped in local area. Creating more extint birds and animals due to them having nowhere to live and breed including bats, swallows, owls, pheasants, partridge, birdsprey, cuckoos, wood peckers, wrens, the list goes on. Clean environment and areas of interest, fresh air. Also loss of insects, bees creating no pollination - no food or plants.

Object

Representation ID: 15955

Received: 05/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Susan Hughes

My comments are regarding Walsall regarding Queslette Rd, Aldridge Rd, Streetly, Great Barr Conservation area 774.42ha

From 7.30a, till 9.15am Aldridge Rd is grid locked Monday - Friday, with people traveling to work and or dropping their children off at school. also. Lindans school is opposite this proposal on a Junction, while parents park on the pavement, on Hundred Acre Road and along Aldridge Rd, toward the Queslett Pub, you also have a builders yards, that is continually having large builders trucks dropping off or picking up, all manner of building equipment, all day. You have all the traffic also from Streetly Academy as some parent choose to pick up their children from school, there is also 3 bus stops, that are used by school children mostly. The 937/935/997, which is directly in this area, while the 935 turns at the Junction on to Hundred Acre Road, which is a very slow process in rush hour.
Another valid point, is the acess to the able to see a GP
Sutton Park Surgery which it a about a 8 minute walk from here, its a 4 week weight to see a GP unless its an emergency. all the schools are over subscribed already.
I support Wendy Morton [MP] in protecting our greenbelt in Streetly, its beautiful and unique
Even our Prime Minister said "will focus on brownfield sites" and "do everything he can to protect our precious green belt"

Object

Representation ID: 15961

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Miss Danielle Pitt

Concerns
Queslett Road East / Aldridge Road = 42 Hectares = 960 homes
To many homes = increase pollution (noise and health)
More homes = where will be the new schools? Doctors? Other services? All currently over subscribed in the area.
Why 42 hectares = 960 homes but Home Farm Sandhills 54 hectares = 800 homes (8 less hectares but 160 more homes) this does not seem logical?
Increase traffic in the area - increased cars in an area and road (Queslett) which already is a fast dangerous road - concerned for rise in car accidents.
Loss of green belt - environmental and health effects.
Is there no derelict areas to regenerate first? Areas which area subject to high crime rates - that would benefit from derelict spaces.

Object

Representation ID: 15977

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mr and Mrs David and Judith Wheeler

Number of people: 2

We lodge our objections to the following sites:

Queslett Road East/ Aldridge Road

All of these green belt sites if built on will take away areas of significant natural beauty, have a detrimental impact on wildlife and our environment. There is no need to use these precious sites. There is an abundance of brownfield sites in Walsall as well as disused industrial sites and empty factories to cover all the requirements for future housing requirements.

Object

Representation ID: 15991

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Sue Lloyd

Reference WAH234 (Columba Park – Aldridge Road WAH246 (Chester Road)

This is an OBJECTION to the proposed building of 960 residential homes on the Streetly Greenbelt Area

Object

Representation ID: 16024

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Julie Maylin

Queslett Rd East/ Aldridge Rd.
I very strongly object. The land is greenland and at his speech at the conservative party 6/10/21 Boris said there will be NO building on green fields. Residents are already unable to access some medical services or see a doctor. The schools are over subscribed now. The police are nowhere to be seen, unwilling or unable to make our streets safe. Anti social behaviour is on the increase. The whole social structure is at breaking point. More families and a large housing estate stressful situations.
Doe Bank Park and surrounding area is a peaceful place and a good place for our mental wellbeing, for young and old. It is wrong to take the greenbelt away from future generations. This plan should be reconsidered. The council should listen to local residents whose lives will be effected by these desicions, which is all about money for the few and not for the interest of the many.

Object

Representation ID: 16041

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Alan Webb and Rachel Warren Webb and Warren

Number of people: 2

We object to the proposed development of 950 houses in the Streetly part of Walsall off the Queslett Rd on 2 main counts:
1. It is Greenbelt
2. The Queslett Rd at the Old Horns/ Asda island is frequently gridlocked at busy times leading to long tailbacks in both directions on the Queslett Rd - how it would cope with all those extra houses I've no idea

Object

Representation ID: 16096

Received: 04/10/2021

Respondent: Ms Christine Robinson

WAH234 GB1 Land between Queslett Road, Doe Bank Lane and ALdridge Road, Pheasey Neighbourhood. Strategic Allocation Policy WSA8.
I believe it is very important that the green belt is retained and brownfield sites are used for new houses instead.
I live in [address given], directly opposite to the fields being considered for the building of 960 houses. I think that enough houses have been built in this area in recent years, including a large estate at the rear of my home. This has already meant extra traffic in the area. With the current traffic load there are a number of hours per day when traffic is queuing outside our homes. The pollution levels would already be considerable if anyone came to measure them. I dread to think what the levels would be if 960 more houses were built here.
We experienced much disturbance and noise when houses were being built behind our house (Redrow Estate). The lorries going to and from the site caused much noise and dust. This would happen all over again and on a larger scale if the 960 houses were built.
We are already overlooked at the back of the house, particularly as the houses are built on much higher ground. We would then have houses directly opposite us, which could also overlook us.
One of the major selling points of our houses has been the great view across the fields and this would be lost for good.
There will also be difficulty in people finding local schools and accessing medical facilities at local doctors surgeries. There has been many complaints from this area about getting in contact with surgeries and this was the case even before Covid.
There is also the question of the loss of a lot of wildlife from the area. Once the green belt is lost, we will never get it back.
My final major point is that the traffic on Queslett Road, particularly at the Asda Island and Scott Arms is already a nightmare ie traffic hold-ups.
To build another 960 houses, with an average of 2 cars per household, will mean even bigger traffic jams than there are at present, and probably more accidents!
Additionally, planning permission has been granted to build apartments on Queslett Road, in place of the old petrol station. This will again mean more cars in the area.

Object

Representation ID: 16167

Received: 30/09/2021

Respondent: Ms Anita Wheeler

I am objecting to the proposed development at the above sight for the following reasons:-

1. It is an emergency landing strip/flight path and, therefore, cannot be built on.

2. There is an underground overflow gravity water pipe running parallel with Doe Bank Lane. This comes off the reservoir on top of Barr Beacon and runs into Kingstanding for when (as it has done in the past) Kingstanding runs dry.

3. It contravenes Government proposals to tackle climate change and plant trees.

4. The area contains many species of wildlife including 11 red listed bird species, barn owls and bats.

5. Drain on local services and amenities including Doctors, schools etc where there is not enough room already.

6. This is a Conservation Area.

Object

Representation ID: 16194

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: David Jackson

WAH234 Land between Queslett Road, Doe Bank Lane and Aldridge Road, Pheasey.
West Midland Birds Club strongly recommend that alternative development sites are sought in order to prevent the loss of green belt.
The land at WAH234 supports breeding populations of [redacted]. All three species are Red Listed by the RSPB as species of national Conservation Concern mainly due to over-intensive farming practices.
There is a network of established hedgerows containing mature trees including oak and hawthorn across this designated build site.
Casual observations have noted 11 RSPB Red Listed bird species including [redacted]
Winter and breeding bird surveys will be essential to assess the importance of the land for Skylark, Yellowhammer and Lapwing.
It is WMBC’s position that the land provides an important ecological corridor between Walsall green belt and Sutton Park NNR.
The site is known to have [redacted], but due to public access being limited no proper survey has yet been carried out.
The land provides an opportunity to retain significant open space and create heathland habitats as identified in the Draft Black Country Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Housing or other development would cause significant damage to the this valuable green corridor.
Current rules strengthen protection of Green Belt Land and ensure that whether it’s new homes, business premises or anything else, developers first look for suitable sites on brownfield land.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-planning-policy-framework/13-protecting-green-belt-land
13. Protecting Green Belt land
137. The government attaches great importance to Green Belts. The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence.
138. Green Belt serves various purposes:-

(a) to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
(b) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;
(c) to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;(e) to assist in urban regeneration,
breeding habitat for Linnets and Yellowhammers and a range of commoner bird species.
Duty to Conserve Biodiversity 7.3 Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 introduced a duty for all public bodies to conserve biodiversity in carrying out their work. The definition of biodiversity conservation included ‘restoring and enhancing’ a population or habitat as well as the protection of the existing resource.
Biodiversity and Planning 7.6 Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation updates National planning guidance. There is a clear emphasis on enhancing as well as conserving biodiversity and local planning policy must be consistent with national, local and local biodiversity priorities and objectives. 7.7 Government Circular: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation- statutory obligations and their impact within the planning system. (ODPM Circular 06/2005) provides more detail on national planning requirements. It states that the effects of development on habitats or species listed as priorities at 33 national or local level are ‘a material consideration’ in the preparation of local planning policy and the making of planning decisions.

by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

Proposals affecting the Green Belt are based upon the Biodiversity Reporting and Information Group Report, and UK LBAP Priority Habitat Descriptions (2008) published by the Priorities Species and Habitat Review Group, UK BAP.
Local Priority Species Any species at risk of significant decline due to a substantial threat to a highly specialised habitat. which is a good indicator or ‘flagship’ that highlights a conservation initiative to be put in place.
.Site WAH 234 appears to comprise part Lowland Dry Acid Grassland 4.24 Lowland Dry Acid Grassland is characterised by vegetation dominated by grasses and herbs on a range of lime deficient soils. These are derived from acid rocks, such as sandstones and pebble beds, and on superficial deposits, such as sands and gravels. This habitat includes open communities of very dry sandy soils, which may contain many annual species including Silver, Early and Wavy Hair-grasses, Mat Grass, Heath Rush, Harebell, Heath Bedstraw and bent and fescue grasses. 4.25 In Birmingham and the Black Country, examples of this habitat can be found at Barr Beacon (Walsall) and Sutton Park (Birmingham).
Site WAH234 also appears to comprise Grassland Lowland Meadows 4.20 This habitat is not restricted to grasslands cut for hay, but also takes into account unimproved neutral pastures where livestock, but more frequently, horse grazing is the main land use. Characteristic species include Black Knapweed, Greater Burnet, Pignut, Yellow Rattle, Cowslip, Bird’s-foot Trefoil and the fine-leaved grasses dominated by Crested Dog’s-tail with fescues and bents, and the fern Adder’s-tongue. 14 4.21 Birmingham and the Black Country contains areas of species rich grasslands but they rely on regular management. These meadows are usually small (1 – 3 ha) and occur singly, or in small groups, where they may be separated by established hedgerows surrounded by housing. Good examples can be found at Park Lime Pits (Walsall), The Leasowes and Illey Pastures (Dudley), Northycote Farm (Wolverhampton), meadows along the southern section of the River Cole and Woodgate Valley Country Park (Birmingham) and Sandwell Valley Country Park.
Hedgerows 4.32 A Hedgerow is defined as any boundary line of trees or shrubs over 20m long and less than 5m wide, and where any gaps between the trees or shrub species are less that 20m long. Any bank, wall, ditch or tree within 2m of the centre of the Hedgerow is considered to be part of this habitat, as is the herbaceous vegetation within 2m of the centre. All Hedgerows consisting of 80% or more cover of at least one woody UK native species are covered by this habitat. Ancient and/or species-rich Hedgerows usually pre-date the Enclosure Acts of 1720 to 1840. 4.33 In Birmingham and the Black Country, Hedgerow complexes can be found around the fringes of the conurbation; such as in the Sedgley and Illey areas (Dudley), eastern Walsall, northern Wolverhampton, Sandwell Valley Country Park (Sandwell) and Woodgate Valley Country Park . There are good mature hedgerows at site WAh234 which require protection from development. These hedgerows provide good
147. Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.
EXTRACTS FROM THE BIRMINGHAM AND THE BLACK COUNTRY BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN 2010 - THE COUNCIL IS REQUESTED TO ACT REASONABLY IN PROTECTING THIS GREEN BELT LAND having regard to the habitat types and ecology at site WAH234.
The Birmingham and Black Country Biodiversity Partnership is supported by the following organisations: Birmingham City Council, Black Country Geodiversity Partnership, British Waterways, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, EcoRecord, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Groundwork, Natural England, RSPB, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, West Midlands Fire Service, Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country Wolverhampton City Council -
7.15 All public bodies represented on the partnership now have a duty to conserve biodiversity in carrying out their duties. Involvement in the preparation and implementation of the revised LBAP demonstrates the practical observance of the duty to carry out Biodiversity Action .
7.9 Conserving biodiversity- The UK approach (2007) sets out the approach to biodiversity action in the UK. The emphasis is on an ecosystem approach rather than on individual species and habitats. 7.10 Securing Biodiversity (2008) sets out Natural England’s framework for biodiversity action in England. The main change from previous approaches is the consideration of biodiversity at a landscape scale. 7.11 National Indicator 197: Biodiversity was introduced in 2007 and all local authorities have to report annually on the percentage of local sites which are under management. This indicator covers all SINCs and SLINCs in Birmingham and the Black Country.

Priority Habitats and Species within Birmingham and the Black Country National Priority Habitats 4.7 In England there are 56 habitats listed as Habitat Types of Principal Importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity within section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Of these, 22 have been recorded in Birmingham and the Black Country . The following habitat descriptions

Object

Representation ID: 16201

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mr David Millard

Queslett Road East / Aldridge Road
1) Green belt land should be preserved - once it has gone, it has gone. This land provides habitat for wildlife, particularly birds, which will be gone forever, forcing them to migrate to other areas, which are constantly reducing.
2) Congestion will be increased significantly on the surrounding roads, particularly routes towards and from Birmingham City Centre off M6 J7. This will increase both air and noise pollution in the area due to increases traffic. With 960 homes being proposed, this is likely to increase car numbers in the area by over 2000 vehicles.
3) Local amenities are likely to not be able to cope with the increases population in the area. Can the local schools absorb influx of children of that age which will likely move into these homes. Hospitals are already stretched, with many other developers proposed, will they be able to cope with the increases in population? Not all residents moving into these homes, increasing demand on NHS services. The same applies to doctors surgeries too.
4) There are already brownfield sites in and around this area, many of which have been derelict or empty for many years. These areas should be built on first before greenfield sites are even contemplated.

Object

Representation ID: 16270

Received: 07/10/2021

Respondent: Mr & Mrs David Harman

Number of people: 2

Queslett Road East/ Aldridge Road/ Streetly

1) These fields are a Conservation Area and support many species of wildlife in the hedgerows of Trees this environment absorbs Carbon Monoxide which benefits all the local community!
2) These fields are surrounded on 3 sides with dense population housing! At the top end of Pheasey Estates i.e, Doe Bank Lane/ Frampton Way/ Chantry Crescent/ Goodall Grove the Water Pressure is very poor since the building of new homes on the Streetly side! Just Imagine the effect of another new development will have on our Water Pressure.
3) A new road through the new development to link Streetly to Doe Bank Lane will be disastrous, as this will bring traffic from Chester Road, Hundred Acre, Lindes Road across the new proposed estate right through to Frampton Way, where there is a Meadow View I & J School !! Frampton Way, Chantrey Crescent Goodall Grove is already extremely conjested with cars parking to bring or collect children. Grove it blocked and we cannot get out at times!!
4) The fields proposed for this development are and always have been Agricultural supplying a good Local source of food. Most of these fields have never been used for grazing!!
5) If this development went ahead with the proposed 960 Homes it will bring around 2000 new Vehicles to the area. The surrounding roads are country lanes were not intended for this kind of traffic! We done ever get our roads repaired or resurfaced - these need to be addressed before spending money on this plan!
6) We note that is it goes ahead it will mean at least 8 years of noise/ air pollution/ heavy vehicles using our alread POT HOLE ROADS!!
7) This will have an effect on. Down Valuing our homes especially those along Doe Bank Lane and Aldridge Road!
8) There has been a distinct lack of information no meetings and planned viewings etc on the Pheasey Side!!
9) We feel this development could well be illegal as it would join up 2) existing separate communities! No one seems to know what the development will come under i.e, Streetly, Great Barr OR are you planning to make a huge new district encasing all of us!

Object

Representation ID: 16310

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Dean Mander

Site: Queslett Road East / Aldridge Road, Streetly (WAH234&250)
I object to the use of greenbelt for housing
I object to the amount of additional traffic 960 homes will bring to the area. Aldridge Road and Beacon Road already struggle in rush hour and the Pheasey estate suffers from the through traffic.
Local schools are more than twice over subscribed each year, the plan does not detail additional education facilities or the knock on effect to other areas when the application boundaries are redrawn.
WAH250 development is an absolute eyesore looking more like an industrial office development over a car park, with no consideration of where the occupants visitors will park.
The island Queslett Road to Chester Road approach is poorly designed and is inadequate 3 lanes and will not work with 1,000 more vehicles from this proposal.
M6 J7 scutt arms will not cope with 1,000+ more vehicles.

Object

Representation ID: 16363

Received: 25/11/2021

Respondent: Mr Malcolm Phillips

If you view the areas of building in streetly in mornings and evenings the traffic is already dense at those times. Therefore proposing to build 960 houses on the corner of Queslett Road and Aldridge Road will only increase the problem (assume 960 homes at least 960 possibly 1920 extra journeys per day). View the Aldridge Road, Chester Road at say 7.30 to 9.00 and you will find a continuous line of cars etc from the Quesletts island to "Former Johns" and you can accept another 960/1920 cars to be queueing on the roads. Chester Road has vehicles moving slowly from Little Aston Road all the way into Birmingham and surrounding areas.

Object

Representation ID: 16387

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Denise Wilson

I have lived on [location disclosed] for forty years and have seen alot of changes in the estate.
I wish to oppose the proposed building of house at the site between Doe Bank Lane and Aldrige Road Streetly.
From the top of Barr Beacon the view is breath taking on a summer day you can see all the green field all the way to Bromsgrove.We should be planting trees to support climate change not building more house were all we are producing more demand on all our services. The queslett road over the years has become a very busy and noisy road and I believe building on this site will make this road worse it will turn into a motorway. The volume of traffic would be unbearable even if it is used by electric cars and not may people can afford to buy these cars. Even now it only takes an accident on the motorway M5/M6 and this effects the queslett road with queues of traffic. You would be putting more polution in the air and at this time in the planets life we should not be introducing this we should be trying to save this planet not add to it burden. The effect on wildlife would also be devastating in all aspects as well.

I wish to once again express I OPPOSE this new estate we dont need it. The area does not need it the planet does not need it and we need to proserve what we have not destroy it.

Unfortunately I do not have the capability to sign this form at the bottom.

Object

Representation ID: 16427

Received: 06/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Diane Jordan

The Black Country Plan is flawed and discriminatory. No effort was taken by councils to ensure residents understood what this plan was about and how it will potentially affects their lives. Too many people still have no idea it exists or what it contains and the consultation period is almost up.
We hear on the news about building on brown fields first but in reality buildings are planned for acre's of Green Belt land. In my own area Pheasey Estate Great Barr 22% of proposed houses are planned on Green Belt land. Once this land is lost it will never return to Green Belt land. My reference here is Walsall Council, Queslette Road/ Doe Bank Lane/ Aldridge Road proposed site.

The loss of so much Green Belt land is bad for mental health, loss of air quality as mature trees are ripped up, loss of habitat for birds, animals and insects threatening the ecosystem in the area. Bricks, concreat and Tarmac may result in severe flooding as this area tries to adjust to excessive surface water likely made worse as people apply to extend these homes in the future. The loss of quality farm land, once buildings and roads go on this land it can never be used to produce food products which may cause food shortages in the future. Why is the Council not encurraging farmers to use this land?

The area around Pheasey does not have sufficient infrastructure to deal with over 900 new houses on this site together with other planned builds in this area. 900 houses will likely come with almost 2,000 cars causing even more traffic congestion and pollution, The NHS doctors surgeries, dentists, and hospitals are all full to capacity as it is. The schools in the area are already over subscribed.

Once these proposed sites are built on the surrounding area will likely get planning permission allowing urban sprawl joining one town to the next encroaching into our Green Belt even further. This conpletely destroys the whole ethos of Green Belt protection. This land will be cheap to build on and brown sites will be left dangeriously contaminated for future generations to deal with. This is against government policy.

I can't object strongly enough to this plan. The loss of fields and woodland will have devistating effects on the future of all lives. When it's gone it's gone forever ..... no food, no amimals, birds insects, no trees, grass or hedges. loss of oxygen just bricks , tarmac and concreate.

Object

Representation ID: 16432

Received: 09/10/2021

Respondent: Dianne Dimbylow

ref: draft-bcp-jdi-version-v2-2907
What of the Prime Ministers promise not to build on greenbelt!??
Central government have also stated:
a) To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas.
b) To prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another.
c) To assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.
d) To assist in urban regeneration by encouraging recycling derelict and other urban land.
• Walsall have a document named ‘A Masterplan to Create the UK’s Healthiest Town Centre’! How does taking away green fields relate to this. It is laughable!
• The consultation process has been discriminatory. Guidance states that authorities are encouraged to use social media tools and other platforms to communicate with the community, where appropriate. Authorities are remined to use concise, visual evidence, written in plain English to help ensure that it is easily accessible to local communities, to avoid them becoming disengaged in the process.
The reliance on a centralised website, which is deemed to meet guidelines regarding community and public engagement discriminates against those who cannot use the internet, do not use the internet or do not have the necessary IT skills to navigate it.
Not all use public libraries or attend centres. on Pheasey we dont have a libary the council took it away from us.
More time should be allowed for consultation. Thousands of booklets and leaflets remain at Walsall town hall. If Walsall council can deliver council bills to every house then surely they can deliver a letter regarding the Black Country Plan?
• People are disenfranchised and this consultation is seen as a sham. Public confidence must be maintained and the process transparent. The feeling of every single person I’ve spoken to is that the consultation is pre-judged.
To support this, having already lost land to the Foxhill’s site to development, is now known locally by a few that land opposite Barr Beacon school is to be built on. This is not in the Black Country plan!
• Some people I have spoken to have discarded information I have delivered because they never even knew the Barr Beacon, Pheasey/Park Farm was even part of the Black Country! Which we are not.
• In June 2021 the Wildlife Trust published a report, the ‘Green Recovery Report’, which demonstrates the importance of nature in recovery from the current pandemic.
The mental health impact of green spaces and the well-being of locals cannot be emphasised enough.
• Around Barr Beacon, Aldridge road Doe bank Lane, Queslett road East There is a network of established hedge-rows containing mature trees including oak. Of late 6 listed birds have been seen there. I have seen deer there.
SLINCs (Sites of local importance to nature conservation). Doe Bank wood is listed and therefore the surrounding land is a corridor for wildlife.
• The Urban Bat project began in 2017 and speaks of the importance of urban biodiversity. Has a survey been commissioned? Is it available to the public? Bats have been seen on the land along with insects, bees, butterflies, ladybirds and crickets etc
• Is the water feed from Barr Beacon reservoir to be destroyed?
• When was the traffic modelling done? What day and what time? It is not advisable to travel between 8-9.30am & 4-6pm around the ‘Asda island’ at Queslett Road and the Aldridge Road towards Perry Barr, Beacon road, such are the traffic conditions. As a local you do not leave the house between these times unless you have to. Yet you choose to release hundreds, if not thousands of extra vehicles on the local residents. What of the noise pollution, not only whilst development is underway but afterwards as well.
What of the extra air pollution? We are already bordered by the M6 and have one of the busiest motorway intersections in Europe at junction7.
What of the extra burden on schools, where class sizes are already too large, Doctors surgeries? You cannot get an appointment now! We just cannot cope with any more residents.
• Fear of crime! What about the extra crime that comes with more people, we have enough to deal with now, we haven't got a police station for miles and the police force is stretched to its limits now and as a Park Farm resident and being on the outskirt of the policing area we get little attention and response times are obviously slower or nonexistent. We are the forgotten neighbourhood!
• Our pavements are cracked and broken and grass verges are unkept, I said this to one of the planning people at the town hall meeting, she said new houses will generate more council tax, I said I pay council tax so whats that being used for? Makes me so angry and its not good enough.
We already have to live with the mistakes of the 60's we have the M6 bordering us on Park Farm which is a constant buzz please learn from the mistakes of the past
You have a job to do. One which perhaps your supervisors or paymasters have dictated to you the outcome already. What legacy will you leave behind for your children? You may not live in this area but these consultations are going on UK wide. You must play your part.
Solent Green was a futuristic film where people visited cinema type rooms to see trees and wildlife because there were none left.

Green fields When they're gone, they're gone!


• Land at Queslett Road East and Aldridge Road is presently conservation land that the conservation appraisal wishes to change the boundary thereby allowing you to build. This is scandalous. For you to say it will not harm our heritage is clearly wrong. What has changed in the last 25 years to make this so? A company from London RPSgroup!?
• It is absolutely incredible that we have to accommodate any housing development that Birmingham cannot manage their quota for housing so we have to take their quota, because it has no green space of its own. How is this remotely fair. We live in Great Barr because of its rural setting, it is our escape and if it was not for this green belt conservation land then most of us would have gone mad during lockdown. And you want to take it away from us. I and everyone I have spoken to is against any housing being built on Any of our Green fields, green belt, conservation protected land.

• Animal population is down 60% in 40 years.
• Has the application been supported by an Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the Town & Country planning rules 2017? If not, I object under the National Planning Policy Framework. Guidance in July 2021 and March 2014 states that decisions at every level should seek to approve application for planning from sustainable development.
• Planning decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by protecting and enhancing valued landscapes and sites of biodiversity or geographical value, recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside.
• There will undoubtably be a negative impact on the ecology and habitat that exist within these areas. Endangered species will be wiped out.

Object

Representation ID: 16491

Received: 07/10/2021

Respondent: Ian and April Cooper

Number of people: 2

We are writing in responce to the proposed development in Great barr, between Doe bank lane, Bridle lane the area is marked as a "Proposed large housing site"
On this site yo propose some 960 houses which out of the 4347 that you are suggesting amounts to 22%. You also say that the majority of the 13,344 new houses will be provided in the urban and brownfield site well 7,926 is also 59% which is not the majority it is 9% greater than half. A lot of the sums just do not add up, that is the opening issues.
The the demarkation of the conservation area will decimate the wildlife in those fields there are all sorts of flora and thorna that cannot be replaced. You will be creating a massive influx of people into and already crowded area. The current road infrastructure cannot cope with the existing traffic let alone the massive increase as propsed. The local schools and health services are already at full stretch without any increase.
I do not think the way this has been handled shows the council off to any great light and the way it has been advertised has been most underhanded.
I quote the following;
"It's unclear to me if planning permission is being sought for the site yet, however to do so they will be required to submit an ecological report including [Redacted-sensitive information]survey (which they will possibly fail as I see [Redacted-sensitive information]all the time, but unfortunately not an ecologists and can't confirm) and some kind of preliminary risk assessment of the site (PRA, also commonly called Phase 1 geo environmental desk study), within these risks to local infrastructure, particularly Barr Beacon LNR, should be assessed, so I would be very interested to see this!
Following a desk study if the site is found to be suitable to build on (likely in this case) is almost always a site investigation, where boreholes or trial holes are drilled/dug onsite, anyone living on Doe Bank lane may want to keep their eyes open for this, unfortunately by this point the land owner will have forked out a fair whack of money for this, meaning it's probably too late in the process as they feel confident they can build at least something here."
We request the following;
The ecological report and phase one desk study (PRA) of the site prior to the closure of the consultation period.
Please add our signatures to the objections;

Object

Representation ID: 16506

Received: 03/10/2021

Respondent: Ian Newman

Lets first take a look at Netherhall Park, a development on the old St Margarets site. The housing appears quite close to one another with next to no frontage to the properties and parking for vehicles being insufficient. The garages are too small to park a vehicle in and hence this adds to the vehicles being parked on the streets.
Regarding the area services, ie schooling, medical etc. Again, the local schools I believe are already at the maximum capacity, especially as certain schools have children attending that don’t live locally and the medical situation, there has been no real increase in number of GP Surgeries to accommodate the extra number of households.
These I believe are just a couple of concerns for the existing residents that will be affected by the proposal to build housing between Doe Bank Lane, Great Barr and Aldridge Road, Streetly.
Not so long ago on Central TV, they advised on such areas “going back to nature”, the landowner gets paid for this as this helps with the environment, this was also mentioned on Clarkson’s Farm, a series following Jeremy Clarkson working his land and buying live stock etc.
So why can’t this land for the proposed development be left to aid the environment, which we all know is very much on peoples minds with the introduction of electric cars, renewable energy, led lighting, solar panels etc. etc.
Residents on the surrounding areas have spoken about this for years, rumours and all of a sudden it’s more of a reality but according to the latest detail that people have to hand, the info. has been available in libraries, town halls and on line.
...
I’ve mentioned about vehicles or transport occasionally in the above, one way or another, so now, vehicles. Access from the Beacon Road through the “rabbit run”, that takes in Bridle Lane, Doe Bank Lane, Frampton Way and there after. Twenty miles per hour is the speed limit. If you don’t live here you don’t witness the drivers doing 40, 50mph down these roads. At the bottom of Frampton Way there is Meadow View School but this isn’t a deterrent. The “rabbit run” cuts out the traffic that backs up down the Beacon Road at the Cat and Fiddle and towards the Asda at the Old Horns. During “lockdown” [Redacted- sensitive information involving a bad traffic accident in Doe Bank Lane], lockdown, when people were supposed to have been not going out for anything other than essential journeys. Yes there is a bus route on the estate but we don’t require further traffic, including the vehicles toing and froing to the proposed development site.
With this development, I believe the situation will only get worse, Nine hundred and sixty houses, two cars per household, two children on average per household, you do the maths. The Collingwood GP Surgery, you can’t get an appointment now, let alone if YOU add more numbers to their registered list of patients.
If this proposal has actually been going on for “X” amount of time, how is it that only now has it really come to light,

Object

Representation ID: 16665

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Mark Jackson

Objection to development on green spaces and on Queslett Road allocation.
It really astounds me that consultations take place when in reality decisions have already been made and dirty money paid.
It is constantly rammed down our throats that the one biggest issue at the moment is climate change. That being the case why are we loosing green spaces for housing? Construction greatly adds to emissions and greatly affects climate change.
There are endless number of brownfield sites that are capable of being developed why aren't they?
More housing is not needed. Better immigration control is required. We cannot allow infinite development where precious land-green land is limited on a small island.
In respect of the proposed development on Queslett Road how is existing infrastructure going to cope? The roads are already at gridlock-no places at schools/doctors surgeries and other local services are struggling. This area in particular cannot cope with more housing and more people. Real thought needs to be given but as I have said in my opening decisions have already been made. Shame on you all-money certainly talks.