'No justification' for business park plan near Wall Heath, says MP
There is "absolutely no justification" for "destroying" green belt land by building a huge industrial park on the edge of a village, an MP has said.
Plans have been revealed to build warehouses and offices backing on to homes in Wall Heath, creating a huge extension to the edge of the village.
The proposals have sparked alarm among villagers and a petition has already been signed by 1,500 people.
MP Mike Wood, whose constituency includes Wall Health, has criticised developers who seek to build on green belt land and has pledged to support residents in their battle.
The warehouses and offices would be built on a vast site the size of 90 football pitches, under plans presented by CWC Group. The business park would only be around 20 per cent smaller than Wolverhampton's i54.
Mr Wood said: "Clearly the community is strongly against their plans to build offices and warehouses on this green belt land near Wall Heath and I fully support their campaign against it.
"I have spoken to South Staffordshire District Council and they say this isn't something they are endorsing and is not part of their current housing land review.
"There is absolutely no justification to be putting a commercial development on green belt land in Wall Heath when we have so much suitable land available in the area.
"The community need to be prepared and vigilant and to be ready to oppose this. As local MP I will be opposing this very strongly in every way I can."
The plans emerged just days after Mr Wood called for residents to be given a greater say about developments near where they live.
He said: "There is no need to be building housing on green belt so there is certainly no excuse to be building offices and warehouses when there are so many empty offices and warehouses available across Dudley, rather than destroying green belt land."
Wall Heath councillor Ed Lawrence also vowed to fight the development and said: “Although these are only proposals that have been submitted to South Staffordshire Council, we must do all we can to ensure that they move no further forward.
"I will be working with our MP Mike Wood and the Mayor Andy Street to do all I can to protect every bit of the greenbelt surrounding Kingswinford and Wall Heath.”
