By Email

4 December 2019

Subject: South Local Plan review Spatial Housing Strategy & Infrastructure Delivery

Introduction: As a resident of Wordsley, I wish to register my objections to Option G of South Staffordshire Council's Housing Review.

My objections:

1. Insufficient local infrastructure and environmental issues:

The development of any additional housing in the area would place an incredible strain on the infrastructure in the locality.

Despite being within the area of South Staffordshire Council’s responsibilities, there are no Hospital/Accident and Emergency facilities in the South Staffs area. Any additional housing would therefore place extra strain on the nearest, and already over-stretched, local hospitals, at Russells Hall () or at New Cross (), neither of which are in the South Staffordshire area. Similarly, there are no health care facilities for longer term conditions within this area of South Staffordshire.

In addition, extra strain would be placed on South Staffordshire’s resources such as police, fire and ambulances services, principally based in Wombourne. I believe that any extra housing in this area would make the additional call on these services intolerable.

Schooling would be placed under an enormous strain with Secondary schools such as Summerhill, Kingswinford, Wordsley and Crestwood being the most likely ones having to face an unacceptable intake of additional pupils. Likewise with Primary schools such as Glynne, Bell Vue, Ashwood Park and Church of the Ascension, amongst others, also likely to be faced an increase in student admissions with which they could not cope. It should also be noted that Stourbridge College, one of the two local Further Education Colleges in the Dudley area, has recently closed down. Thus, any additional housing in the area of South Staffordshire would generate further, unwanted, traffic towards the remaining college at Dudley. An already incredibly congested route.

The road system around Kingswinford and Wordsley is insufficient for any large increase in traffic that would inevitably arise with any new housing development.

To the East, the junction of Lawnswood Road with the Wolverhampton-Stourbridge A491 at The Old Cat public house is currently a significant bottleneck, with long tail-backs, particularly at peak times. The traffic around Wordsley High Street is already often stationary during commuting hours, and, as a result, the level of air pollution from vehicle fumes is currently excessive. The addition of further vehicles, travelling from South Staffordshire towards Dudley and Stourbridge, would only exacerbate this issue and increase the likelihood of respiratory illnesses.

To the West, the A449 between Kidderminster and Wolverhampton is already heavily congested. In particular, the two junctions of the A449 with both branches of Lawnswood Road are known vehicle danger spots, with numerous accidents at both locations. It would be inevitable that any additional housing in that vicinity would not only lead to increased tail-backs at both junctions with the A449 but also a certain increase in traffic accidents. It should be noted that both branches of Lawnswood Road leading to the A449 are in effect narrow country lanes, not suitable for any increase in traffic.

2. Green Belt destruction:

The area proposed for development is clearly on established and highly valued Green Belt land in the vicinity of ancient woodland. It is obvious that large parts of the established eco systems would be destroyed, together with the associated wildlife. Much of the area outlined is an established and well-used public space, enjoyed by numerous local residents in both South Staffordshire and Dudley, using a network of very well-used footpaths, through historic woodland and agricultural land.

The views from the walks along both hills, Ridgehill Wood and Friar’s Gorse, offer magnificent and currently virtually uninterrupted vistas across both South Staffordshire and also to the distant Clee hills in to the West, as well as to the in Worcestershire/, to the South. Any additional housing in the area to the West of these two treasured, ancient woodlands would destroy forever such untrammelled views. Such sights are the ‘hearts and lungs’ that sustain both the physical and mental health of us all, way beyond any financial measure.

On the subject of climate change, development of Green Belt land would have an inevitable and negative contribution to issues in a world that is rapidly heading to oblivion. Surely, the imperative is to preserve such green landscapes, not destroy them. In destroying them, our souls and our future would also be destroyed.

3. The National Planning Policy Framework says:

• Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality should be preferred to those of higher quality. • Sites of biodiversity should be protected and any impacts minimised (para 170). • Land with the least environmental or amenity value should be considered for development and habitat networks and green infrastructure should be maintained and enhanced (para 171). • Protect and enhance biodiversity and geo-diversity and safeguard local wildlife rich habitats and priority habitats and species, and ecological networks (para 174) It is vital that all of the above factors are taken into consideration in South Staffordshire’s deliberations.

Regards T Holden Stourbridge

I would appreciate an acknowledgement of your receipt of my objections to any housing development/s in this beautifully tranquil area of South Staffordshire.