Campaigners' plea over homes plan compromise for nature reserve
Controversial plans to build 14 homes on green belt land have been welcomed by residents despite thousands of campaigners calling for proposals to be scrapped.
Members of the Finchfield and Castlecroft Community Association revealed they are supporting plans to build the homes at the former Wolverhampton Environment Centre (WEC) site.
It comes despite more than 2,000 furious campaigners backing an online petition to ‘say no’ to the development off Westacre Crescent on the Finchfield land and calling on Wolverhampton council to abandon its plans.
Secretary of the association, Brenda Bates, said the derelict site has become an eyesore, with many residents complaining of anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and vandalism.
The grandmother-of-four, who lives in nearby Castlecroft Lane, 82-year-old added: “We have such a lovely environment here and we all want to preserve this, and this is what we are fighting for.
“The WEC needs a lot of money and the only way, at the moment, is to have these houses. We feel it is an acceptable compromise.
“If the council don’t do something about it then it will become overgrown and get worse.
“I hope we can all work together with the council to make this a fulfilling project, which will be for everyone in Finchfield and all the people who come into Finchfield and Castlecroft, to enjoy.”
The site’s land off Westacre Crescent currently has four large derelict glass houses, plant growing areas and a bungalow, which the council wants to demolish for housing claim are ‘not viable to bring back into use’ and need to be demolished for housing.
The area earmarked for the new two, three and four-bedroom properties forms less than 10 per cent of the site off Westacre Crescent, while the rest of the green space will be absorbed into the Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve.
Campaigners backing the petition had claimed the plans threaten to ruin the popular five and a half mile South Staffordshire Railway Walk, bringing an increase in traffic and pollution.
But Mrs Bates said the five and a half mile walk, which runs across the WEC site, will not be destroyed and ‘beautiful’ gates at the site will be preserved.
The grandmother-of-four said: “There has always been activity on the WEC. There has always been coming and going of traffic and people, but it has never been open to the public.
“We are not losing anything. We are gaining a nature reserve which is going to be open to the public, and it is at the price of a few houses. The railway walk will still be there to enjoy whatever happens.”
She went on to say four consultation meetings about the plans were held last year but claimed there was a poor turnout, with few of the petition supporters going along.
Proposals came after the council, which is yet to submit a planning application, secured a £285,000 grant to transform the area into a managed nature reserve.
It will include car parking for walkers, self-managed allotments with parking spaces, woodland and pond management and a meadow, as well as new paths and entrances.
Deputy leader of the council Councillor Peter Bilson said the housing development will ‘support local housing needs’, will be ‘designed sensitively’ and will create a ‘first-class’ managed nature reserve.
