Draft Black Country Plan

Object

Representation ID: 16022

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Summercourt Square Residents Association

Black Country Plan - Consultation

Set out below are the Association ' s comments on the above plan. These comments relate to the plan as a whole and to the particular sections relating to the Triangle- Lodge Lane/Swindon Road/A449
and Holbeache in Kingswinford.

1 Infrastructure - roads

The plan grossly understates the traffic problems already suffered in this part of the borough

"Parts of the Black Country's existing highway infrastructure,and the motorway network, suffer from
congestion." - page 57

This is an absurd undefined statement that in no way reflects the painful congestion suffered by residents. Anyone who travels around the Black Country knows how ridiculous this statement is.

In particular the A491between Kingswinford and Stourbridge - with onward access to the rail network and the motorway network is a notorious bottle neck. Very little improvement has been attempted on this route over recent years as traffic volumes have escalated. With buses the only public transport option all users suffer extended journey times during busy periods.
The A449, which parallels this route, also suffers from excessive traffic volumesat peak times.

The queue to the Stewpony lights now backs up to the Forester's Arms on the Stourbridge boundary. T-junction at the Stewpony suffers from severe flooding and has done for several years, making a bad situation worse.
The junction of the A449 and the 84176 at Himley can have long tailbacks for those wishing to turn onto the A449 in the direction of Kingswinford. South Staffs have dismissed a cheap solution by declining to consider installing a simple turning right phase. This situation is in the process of worsening due to additional house building in Wombourne.

The junction of Swindon Road/Cot lane/ Summerhill/ Lodge Lane has developed into a troubled location due to increased traffic volumes and erratic timings of the traffic lights. Work has been carried out to improve traffic flows but this has not been successful in resolving this growing problem. Development on the Triangle will make this problem much worse. This is a regular source of
complaint to Dudley Council from ourselves.

The threat of additional housebuilding alongside the A449 in South Staffordshire has already aroused major concerns in the area. The detail of such plans has been delayed by Covid and the fact that the South Staffordshire plan is not yet published. Suggestions of some 800 houses have been mooted adjacent to the possible development in the Lodge lane/Swindon Road triangle within Dudley. Such additional development is looked upon with alarm.

2 Infrastructure - Other

If some 800 houses are to be built in Kingswinford obviously the infrastructure to support this population increases is necessary. We believe that if, despite local objections, these house are built the provision of increased infrastructure- Schools/ Doctors and additional car parking in Kingswinford centre etc should only be permitted if this infrastructure in put in place. We deem it
totally unacceptable to simply assume that provision will bemade at some future date.

2 Brown Fields First

It is unclear what this means. Does it mean that no green field development will be permitted until ALL brown field sites have been used up. If not how will development on Green Belt sites be constrained whilst Brown Field sites are still not fully developed?

3 Loss of Green belt

We strongly oppose the release of Green Belt sites such as the Triangle (Lodge Lane/Swindon Road) this is prime agricultural land and provides a good buffer between the A449 and existing housing development. The triangle is used extensively by local walkers and is much valued. We are puzzled as to why the Triangle has recently become a Slinc - which would presumably have to be removed if the land is released for development. This site also provides an essential buffer between urban development and anything that may happen in South Staffs.

4 Public Transport and Global Warming

Given the limitations imposed by the lack of an alternative to buses on congested roads being available in the Kingswinford area we believe that further housing development within the Black Country should be focused around the forthcoming Metro development, rather than in an area that does not benefit from such links.

In conclusion we are of the view that the plan, in its current form, is totally unacceptable, and must be rejected.

Object

Representation ID: 45861

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Summercourt Square Residents Association

Black Country Plan - Consultation

Set out below are the Association ' s comments on the above plan. These comments relate to the plan as a whole and to the particular sections relating to the Triangle- Lodge Lane/Swindon Road/A449
and Holbeache in Kingswinford.

1 Infrastructure - roads

The plan grossly understates the traffic problems already suffered in this part of the borough

"Parts of the Black Country's existing highway infrastructure,and the motorway network, suffer from
congestion." - page 57

This is an absurd undefined statement that in no way reflects the painful congestion suffered by residents. Anyone who travels around the Black Country knows how ridiculous this statement is.

In particular the A491between Kingswinford and Stourbridge - with onward access to the rail network and the motorway network is a notorious bottle neck. Very little improvement has been attempted on this route over recent years as traffic volumes have escalated. With buses the only public transport option all users suffer extended journey times during busy periods.
The A449, which parallels this route, also suffers from excessive traffic volumesat peak times.

The queue to the Stewpony lights now backs up to the Forester's Arms on the Stourbridge boundary. T-junction at the Stewpony suffers from severe flooding and has done for several years, making a bad situation worse.
The junction of the A449 and the 84176 at Himley can have long tailbacks for those wishing to turn onto the A449 in the direction of Kingswinford. South Staffs have dismissed a cheap solution by declining to consider installing a simple turning right phase. This situation is in the process of worsening due to additional house building in Wombourne.

The junction of Swindon Road/Cot lane/ Summerhill/ Lodge Lane has developed into a troubled location due to increased traffic volumes and erratic timings of the traffic lights. Work has been carried out to improve traffic flows but this has not been successful in resolving this growing problem. Development on the Triangle will make this problem much worse. This is a regular source of
complaint to Dudley Council from ourselves.

The threat of additional housebuilding alongside the A449 in South Staffordshire has already aroused major concerns in the area. The detail of such plans has been delayed by Covid and the fact that the South Staffordshire plan is not yet published. Suggestions of some 800 houses have been mooted adjacent to the possible development in the Lodge lane/Swindon Road triangle within Dudley. Such additional development is looked upon with alarm.

2 Infrastructure - Other

If some 800 houses are to be built in Kingswinford obviously the infrastructure to support this population increases is necessary. We believe that if, despite local objections, these house are built the provision of increased infrastructure- Schools/ Doctors and additional car parking in Kingswinford centre etc should only be permitted if this infrastructure in put in place. We deem it
totally unacceptable to simply assume that provision will bemade at some future date.

2 Brown Fields First

It is unclear what this means. Does it mean that no green field development will be permitted until ALL brown field sites have been used up. If not how will development on Green Belt sites be constrained whilst Brown Field sites are still not fully developed?

3 Loss of Green belt

We strongly oppose the release of Green Belt sites such as the Triangle (Lodge Lane/Swindon Road) this is prime agricultural land and provides a good buffer between the A449 and existing housing development. The triangle is used extensively by local walkers and is much valued. We are puzzled as to why the Triangle has recently become a Slinc - which would presumably have to be removed if the land is released for development. This site also provides an essential buffer between urban development and anything that may happen in South Staffs.

4 Public Transport and Global Warming

Given the limitations imposed by the lack of an alternative to buses on congested roads being available in the Kingswinford area we believe that further housing development within the Black Country should be focused around the forthcoming Metro development, rather than in an area that does not benefit from such links.

In conclusion we are of the view that the plan, in its current form, is totally unacceptable, and must be rejected.