Protests over luxury homes plan

Placard-waving residents in a quiet Wolverhampton neighbourhood today delivered a defiant message to planning chiefs about a proposed housing estate near their homes, declaring: “Not in our back yard.”

Developers want to build 15 detached houses and a new through road on Compton Road which people say will put the lives of local schoolchildren at risk. They claim the proposal by Bentley Homes will also spoil a wildlife oasis of foxes and birds and threaten protected oak trees.

Today a handful of residents gave a noisy reception to a delegation of planning officials and councillors visiting the site of the proposed development ahead of next month’s planning committee meeting.

The plan includes bulldozing at least one existing house beside Wolverhampton Grammar School to build the new road.

The protesters, who have sent 60 letters of complaint to the city council, warn increased traffic outside the school will put pupils’ lives in danger.

Resident Jefny Ashcroft, of Marchant Road, who has an allotment at the site, said today: “It really is a wildlife oasis. There are at least 40 species of birds.

“There is already heavy traffic along Compton Road. I have no objection to houses for couples trying to get a step on the housing ladder, but these are big executive homes costing a lot of money - we don’t want them here.”

Last Thursday campaigners made their feelings known by handing in a petition at the Civic Centre.

It is the second time the residents have opposed a planning application by Bentley Homes.

In 2006 they were successful in getting a bid to build 11 houses turned down following a year-long campaign.

Park councillor Manohar Minhas, who is backing the residents, said the development was in the wrong place.

He added the council had already given Bentley Homes planning permission for a number of housing developments across the city. The Compton Road application is due to be decided on March 4.