Brierley Hill Strategic Centre

Object

Representation ID: 17300

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Susan Bryan

I am not sure whether I tick support or objection.
One of the sites for my objections is DUH217 however any green space is included below.
So I object to any development on greenbelt land, I also object to any development on brown sites. We have over the last few years and at present too many houses being built. The roads structure and amenities are not there. More houses will only add to the burden to the already full roads, schools and surgeries.
I object to greenbelt land being built on as we will lose wildlife their natural habitat gone for good. This tory government wants more trees planted but if you build on green space you can not plant trees in any number.
Trees are important and seen as the lungs of the earth.
Many people including me need green space for wellbeing and to enjoy nature.
I support any green space that is designated as a Local Green Space. For the reasons above.

Object

Representation ID: 17569

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Sylvia Hipkin

SITE: Worcester Lane Stourbridge
Problem
1 - Traffic congestion making Worcester Lane more dangerous
2 - Impact on local services
schools & doctors
3 - loss of agricultural land
loss of wildlife

Object

Representation ID: 17570

Received: 07/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Pamela Horwill

Draft Black Country Plan
Holbeache
BCP Site Ref DUH 208 page 371
DSA 1 pages 419-423

[Objection without comment]

[Part 2]

The Triangle BCP Site Ref DUH 211 page 371
DSA 2 pages 424-428

The 'Triangle' is good agricultural land being currently farmed and should NOT be built on. We need green spaces around the built up West Midland conurbation. Once virgin land goes under concrete it is gone forever. How will future generations feed themselves if farmland is built on?

Object

Representation ID: 18042

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Thomas Oakley

Guys Lane is already used by motorists as a means to bypass sections of Cinder Road and Himley Road. An additional housing development would further increase traffic using the existing estate, particularly at peak times, impacting safety on the roads and increasing delays.
DU218 is adjoined by woodland, and hosts a diverse range of wildlife. You can find newts, frogs, lizards, rabbits, and foxes using the space. Waves of bats can be seen feeding across the area at sunset during the Spring and Summer months. [redacted] use the green space. [redacted] are a regular sighting. The variety of birds using the site is equally impressive - Buzzards hunt the mammals/rodents, owls can be heard through the night, and the site is the only place in the borough where I have seen a spotted woodpecker.
Health and education services in the local area are not in a position to meet the demand of extra houses. [redacted] Booking times for the local GP surgery were excessive even before the pandemic. The additional housing will create additional pressure on these services.
If a development went ahead in this location, a visual amenity enjoyed by locals would be eradicated, along with the loss of the ecology and habitat for wildlife. The principle of the development conflicts with local and national policies not to develop green spaces.

Comment

Representation ID: 18067

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Brierley Hill Community Forum

Little progress has been made towards uniting the three parts of Brierley Hill as envisage in the previous Black Country Plan. Merry Hill and Brierley Hill High Street continue to provide differing retail offers. The plan needs enough granularity to ensure that, as the journey toward uniting the three parts of Brierley Hill takes place, the High Street's needs are considered separately from Merry Hill (for example in car parking allocations and travel plans).
The introduction of a tighter active frontage policy to encourage shops to open on to their High Streets as opposed to car parks at their rear would also be welcomed (eg Pound Stretcher in Brierley Hill, various gyms etc).

Object

Representation ID: 18140

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Miss Tracy Hickinbottom

I would like to object to the following sites being taken forward in your Black Country Plan: DUH 031 Majors Paddock, Straits Road DUH218 Guys Lane Paddock DUH 210 Viewfield Crescent Paddock
Whilst I appreciate the need to identify areas for development in order to meet current housing targets, I strongly feel that the development of the aforementioned sites is inappropriate for many reasons, details of which are outlined below.
CPRE has shown that there is space for over 1 million homes on brownfield land across the country- this is not a static figure, for brownfield sites become available all the time. By building houses on brownfield sites, you can ensure that homes are located where there is existing infrastructure and that people are more likely to live closer to where they work etc. This has many benefits, including vehicle pollution and people having to drive less or take shorter journeys thus decreasing traffic and congestion.
Since the start of the pandemic, we have become more aware of our appreciation of our local green spaces. These areas have been vital for lots of people, providing an open, safe space for us to exercise and take a breather during these hard times. We are more aware than ever, how much our communities would suffer if these spaces were no longer accessible.
The government released an updated version of their 25 Year Environmental Plan in May 2019; stating that they aim to: ‘ improve the environment within a generation and leave it in a better state than we found it’. It also states that one of the targets is to ‘increase woodland in England in line with our aspiration of 12% cover by 2060: this would involve planting 180,000 hectares by end of 2042’. With this in mind, reclassification and development of already established green belt land seems counterintuitive and contradictory.
One of the biggest current global threats is the climate emergency; as declared by the UK government in May, 2019. In the Campaign for Rural England’s report, Green Belts: a greener future, it states that undeveloped land plays a vital role in helping to tackle the impacts of climate change. In addition, The 25 Year Environmental Plan promises to ‘make sure that all policies, programmes and investment decisions take into account the possible extent of climate change this century’. The UK is already one of the least wooded areas of Europe, with just 11.7% woodland cover, compared to a European average of 37% . These statistics suggest that we should not only be safeguarding our existing green belt, but we should also be making plans to extend existing sites.
In the government’s National Planning Policy Framework , point 137 states that: ‘Before concluding that exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries, the strategic policy-making authority should be able to demonstrate that it has examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting its identified need for development’; with this in mind I feel that we should only consider brownfield sites an option for development. Our need for protected greenbelt is no less now, than when the policy was first introduced. These spaces are the lungs of our country.
Woodland Wildlife Tool Kit have developed an interactive map, which lists the Priority Species in an area using data from: the Bat Conservation Trust, British Trust for Ornithology, Butterfly Conservation, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, People’s Trust for Endangered Species, and the National Biodiversity Network. This map indicates that the aforementioned sites consist of the following land types: lowland meadows, deciduous woodland and grazing marsh. Woodland is useful for regulating air quality, climate through carbon sequestration and flood regulation. The map also suggests that there could be Priority Species on, or near the sites in question, as well as European Protected Species. The species that are listed as living on or near the sites are: [redacted], which are rare in the coun ty. Local planning authorities have a statutory duty , according to UK and EU legislation and policy, to consider the potential impacts of a development on protected and priority species and their habitats, and yet surprisingly, since 1970, the indicator of abundance for the 214 Priority Species has declined by 60%. I would argue that the development of any of the aforementioned sites would result in significant harm to local biodiversity, and would contribute to the further decline of our European Protected and Priority Species. We are fortunate to have the abundance and diversity of species in our local area, and the local community are committed to ensuring it’s protection for years to come. As well as the species stated above, we are aware that the proposed sites are occupied by [redacted]. The act of protecting our British Wildlife is synonymous with protecting our heritage and our local and national identity. The sites are closely located to Himley Hall and Baggeridge country park, and I feel that loss of the green belt in question will affect the identity and character of the area significantly; it is this character that makes the area a desirable location in which people wish to live, and visit.
As a resident [redacted], I am also concerned about the impact that development of these spaces will have on local infrastructure. including but not limited to, roads, schools, GP and dental services. I despair at the waiting time for an appointment at my local doctor’s surgery, and I fear that this is just going to get worse with the added pressure. Driving in and around Gornal is notoriously hair-raising, as the highstreet is narrow and there is a high number of vehicles passing through. This is especially bad during the week in the day time, and afternoon rush hour. Trying to exit Gornal in a morning (between 7am-9am) is time consuming; High Arcal and Brick Kiln Lane are particularly busy if heading towards Himley or Dudley. Traffic also bottle-necks by High Arcal School if travelling towards Sedgley. This is also another environmental concern as there is already a high volume of vehicles sitting stationary, contributing to air pollution.
To conclude, I absolutely cannot support the decision for the green belt to be reclassified. I am very concerned that both the strain on amenities and loss of the green belt would be a devastating loss for the area and will have a major impact on the physical and mental health of the local community. The proposed development contradicts NPPF in that in order to protect and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity, plans should promote the conservation, restoration and enhancement of priority habitats, ecological networks and the protection and recovery of priority species. I feel that the development of this land would be deeply regrettable at a later date; and unfortunately, once established woodland and green fields are gone, they are gone forever. I urge Dudley council to take a more ‘natural capital’ approach to the environment and consider the irreversible loss and damage to valuable soils, mature trees and natural wildlife habitats.

Object

Representation ID: 18152

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Patricia O'Connell

Pedmore, call for sites Worcester Lane, DUH 206, 207, 209.

[redacted]these are my objections to building on this site.

TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT:
More housing in this area equals more cars in the area.The local village Hagley and Stourbridge town are already very congested and this will become worse.It will also cause more noise and air pollution.This is a quote from Dudley councils web site "The major threat to clean air is now posed by traffic emissions".

Peak time traffic is already gridlocked. The public transport in this area is virtually non existent meaning you really need a car to get around.

IMPACT ON LOCAL SERVICES:
Local schools are already at capacity.At a meeting on the 30th of September 2021 there were two representatives from Dudley council planning.When asked about the impact on local schools one of the planning officers stated that schools could extend and the birth rate is falling.The schools that would be affected by this new development are all small schools and do not have anywhere to extend and even if they did where is the money for more teachers and building work going to come from?I found this answer somewhat naive and alarming given that future planning is in the hands of these representitives.I don't know where they are sourcing their guidance information from but it is clearly not accurate!
Doctors, dentists and hospitals in this area are already stretched.

LOSS OF LOCAL AMENTIES:
If this greenbelt area is built on it will be gone for good.This area is used by many (not just local residents) for walking, running,cycling and horse riding.This became even more evident during lock down and to lose it would have a detrimental effect on peoples ability to excercise and their mental wellbeing.I am under the impression that that Dudley council is pro these matters.

IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND ECO SYSTEM:
Loss of farming land.I thought we are being encouraged to buy local and cut our carbon footprint.
Loss of habitat for wildlife.The area has a very diverse wildlife.There are [redacted] to name but a few.

Object

Representation ID: 18153

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Valerie Bloomer

DUH041 Land rear of Two Gates Lane, Cradley; DUH214 Seymour Road, Wollescote; DUH059 New Hawne Colliery (part only). I do not believe it is possible to put in place sufficient mitigation to make up for the loss of any greenbelt or green space to a community. Developments within or on the edge of our communities also bring extra traffic to roads that are already over busy, and extra pressure on local services such as schools and health centres. This lowers the quality of life for the existing population and brings the same problems for the new residents that they may not have anticipated. I strongly object to any loss of green space, greenbelt land or greenfield land.
There are many brownfield sites that remain unused because builders prefer new, easy to develop sites that bring greater profits. The homes built on greenfield sites are not affordable for most people.
More recently many shops and offices are closing whose sites would provide extra capacity for homes in towns and cities which are in need of revival and redevelopment.

Object

Representation ID: 18177

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Vivienne Perry

WORCESTER LANE PEDMORE - PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
I wish to object to any of the proposed plans for site located on Worcester Lane. The area currently struggles with the amount of traffice from both Hagley and Stourbridge. The schools are currently full and as for the comment made at the meeting that they could be extended I think they personally should think before they speak as our local primary school Pedmore certainly has no spare funding or space to expand . The land is currently green belt and should remain that way as there are plenty of empty brown sites that could used more effectively and in areas thatneed more housing.
There is also an abundance of wild life within the fields and surrounding area that would be greatly affected and totally runied.

Object

Representation ID: 22125

Received: 04/10/2021

Respondent: Miss Millie Simner

SA-0050-DUD / BCP ref DUH216 Bryce Road
SA-0199-DUD / BCP ref DUH222 Severn Drive
We use the green to walk our dogs.
All children play on the green.
It is a safe and friendly communal area.

Object

Representation ID: 22427

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mr Michael Murphy

DUH218 OBJECTIONS TO THE CHANGE OF LAND USE IN GORNAL WOOD. 2nd Oct 2021
Guys Lane over the years has become increasingly blighted by road traffic.
This short cut between two main road arteries has got worse and worse [redacted personal details]. It is not like a normal residential street accessed just by residents and the odd delivery vehicle. It is in fact a busy thoroughfare, regularly busy all day with rush hour peak time a nightmare. I often have to wait several minutes to either get in or out of my own street due to queuing traffic in Guy's Lane trying to get to the Himley Road. We have white windowsills, and 20 years ago I would clean them perhaps once a month, but by five or six years ago they had to be cleaned at least once a week and now if I had the time it would need to be a couple of times every day.
This dirt is caused by the volume of traffic continuously stirring up road dust, but more worryingly, I believe a large amount of this dirt is car and lorry exhaust particulates and pollutants. My neighbours and I often say, if this is what we can see on our windowsills, then what must our lungs look like!
Talking to neighbours this residential estate appears to have an unusually high incidence of cancers, especially amongst women (perhaps spending more time daily in the area than their partners, in an unhealthy environment).
It hardly seems possible but the traffic has increased again recently with the completion of many houses on the new Himley View and Catesby estates on Stallings Lane and Tansy Green Road with the prospect of even more traffic from the yet to be completed Oak Lane build.
Adding new housing to Guys Lane would mean adding even more traffic to this tiny residential side road which will lead to an increase in safety concerns let alone further frustration, anxiety and angst to the current residents.
The level of traffic pollution must already contravene a number of clean air and health regulations, and any increases would be regarded as a criminal act and a dereliction of duty of care to local residents.

OBJECTIONS TO THE CHANGE OF LAND USE IN GORNAL WOOD. 2nd Oct 2021
2.
Wildlife and social activities
Having outlined the health and safety concerns above, one of the few positives about living on this estate is being close to the area known by many as the "Horses' Fields, Guys Lane".
This piece of land has been a lifeline, literally, for local families. We all know the benefits of having access to nature for our mental health and some experts say this access is essential.
This little oasis of green is visited daily by local people, taking a few minutes to relax, enjoy and smile. Families, older people enjoy leaning over the gate to look at and interact with the horses. If you are quiet, you can see rabbits running round the fields and sometimes their arch enemy, young foxes can be watched play-fighting in the evenings. Also, in the evening many bats fly from their roosts to feed.
This area really is a haven for wildlife. Over the years my family have watched buzzards circling overhead as well as kestrels, sparrowhawks and ravens, all nesting in and around these couple of fields. In the spring, swifts, swallows and house martins wheel above the hedgerows feeding on insects. Winter visitors include [redacted species information].
Native birds nesting observed by my family include the smallest British bird, the goldcrest, as well as all the usual regulars; robin, blackbird, sparrow, dunnock, greenfinch, bullfinch, great, blue and coal tits, great spotted and green woodpeckers.
As well as the wildlife mentioned above the fields are visited, and crossed by,[redacted species information].
The dry areas contain nests of populations of solitary bees.
The wet areas have smooth newts, frogs, toads, [redacted species information] and dragonflies.
The sheer diversity of the plant species in the established hedgerows surrounding the site indicates these hedgerows have been there for more than a hundred years.

Object

Representation ID: 22587

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Mrs Michelle Homer

SA-0199-DUD / BCP ref DUH222
Loss of local facility - for children to play, dog walking community events etc.
Loss of space necessary for people to enjoy for the sake of their physical and mental health.

Comment

Representation ID: 23538

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Historic England

We welcome reference to the Brierley Hill HAZ within the Plan and welcome consideration of whether the aims and projects of the HAZ need any specific reference within the Plan. For example, how Paragraph A16 clause e could be further developed.