Huge industrial park planned on edge of Wall Heath prompts anger

Warehouses and offices would back on to homes in Wall Heath on the development stretching up to Himley Lane, creating a huge extension to the edge of the village.

Residents have reacted with fury to the proposals, which have been put together by CWC Group, and a petition opposing them has already been signed by almost 1,000 people.

Concerns include the loss of the green belt, increased traffic, noise and pollution.

CWC said its vision was to create a "high-quality strategic employment site" delivering around 84,000sq m of employment space in a "sustainable and attractive environment where people would like to work".

The scale and potential impact of the development has alarmed villagers, particularly as the site, which lies in South Staffordshire, is being proposed to help solve "unmet employment needs of the Black Country".

Steve Cutler, whose home of 37 years on Beechcroft Road backs onto the land which could be torn up by developers, said: "I don't understand why the company, CWC, is pushing this.

"It says in the document South Staffordshire has met its quota for industrial development but by doing the development here it will help out the Black Country councils. Surely the Black Country councils have got plenty of brownfield sites to do industrial developments on?

"It says nothing at all about Wall Heath and the people who will back onto it. It just seems to have been glossed over.

"When I moved here the area was green belt, it's still green belt and I don't see why that should change.

"I can see that the level of HGV traffic and cars going to be quite high. We're going to have three three-storey office blocks directly at the side of the house and warehouses of 40,000sq ft."

He added: "This will be fought. That's what we've said to the MP and Mayor."

It comes just days after Dudley South MP Mike Wood, whose constituency includes Wall Heath, called for residents to be given a greater say about developments near where they live.