More than 100 objections to 'unwanted' Dudley housing scheme
More than 100 objections have been lodged against plans to build homes on a former paddock in Dudley.
Elan Homes has submitted updated proposals for 14 homes on land between The Straits and Majors Fold in Gornal, which has been designated as a ‘housing proposal site’ in the Dudley local plan.
But as a campaign to preserve the site ramps up planners at Dudley Council have now received 118 formal objections, with residents saying the development will destroy wildlife and worsen existing flooding and traffic issues.
The scheme will feature a new access road to the 1.8-acre site and 14 three and four-bedroom homes built, as well as parking and landscaping.
One objection said: "I don't see any improvement in the new plans to the alterations to the access arrangements. Also, I don't see how having 14 new properties will have a positive impact on other residents where there was a huge issue with flooding."
Another said: "There is no reasonable reason why this should go ahead," citing that the proposed new junction would be "dangerous" to the public and "damaging" to wildlife.
A resident on Inhedge Street said green sites should not be used "when there are brownfield sites available", while a Grafton Gardens resident said the alterations would make "no difference" to the scheme being unsuitable.
An objector from Sandyfields Road said: "I'm worried that this development will create even more traffic around the High Arcal/Himley Road junction, which is incredibly dangerous anyway.
"The roads around the area are extremely busy and another 14 houses will just add to the problem." Another said the scheme was "unwanted" by residents.
Dudley North MP Marco Longhi is campaigning against the scheme over fears it will lead to the "large scale" development of the green fields that surround the area.
He has urged residents to submit objections ahead of the "tight deadline" of July 3. Mr Longhi said: "I am in correspondence with the planning department, and so are the local councillors, to see if this deadline may be extended, but I am not hopeful and the safest thing to do is to respond as quickly as we can within the deadline.
"I have submitted my objections and my stance is unchanged. I want to see the implementation of our 'brownfield sites first' approach,. There is no need to use our green spaces for housing development."
The updated proposals are intended to address concerns raised by Dudley Council's highways department over access and parking.
A representative for Elan Homes said the scheme would make “better use of a vacant site and its sustainable location”, while also providing additional quality housing for the area.
The closing date for objections is July 3.
