Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Fury at plan for nature reserve
Friday 8th February 2008, 10:52PM GMT.
Dudley’s historic Saltwells Nature Reserve could be destroyed under controversial plans to sell part of it off for development, it is feared.
Saltwells House at the heart of the award-winning beauty spot, off Pedmore Road, has been put up for sale at £400,000 with demolition a “viable” option.
The crumbling site is listed as a “residential or commercial” opportunity and the developer who takes it on will have three months to come up with plans, which could include housing.
The closing date for offers has been set for March 28.
But the news has sparked fears among neighbours who say any residential use of the site would set a dangerous precedent and threaten to ruin the borough’s largest nature reserve.
Molly Adams, of Quarry Bank, regularly walks her dog at the spot and is among those rallying against any potential housing or unsympathetic development on the site.
She said: “Saltwells House is in the middle of the nature reserve. If it is sold off for people to live there the reserve is not going to be a very tranquil place any more. It will be really sad if we have areas of the wood cut off which we will not be able to use anymore.”
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As a native of Tipton now living down here in Kent, it never ceases to amaze me how much Tipton,the Bloomfield/Tipton Green area in particular as changed beyond all recognition.
Long gone are “The Bean” FH Lloyds & the Brymill & the Little Burton.
It’s called progress.
The eyesore that is the Priory estate HAS to come down & here would be a fantastic opportunity to build the houses needed to put them in!
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Are you a mad man
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IF IT IS TRUE THEY ARE GOING TO PUT HOUSES ON IT THIS IS THE PROOF THAT SOMEBODY OR SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE GOING MAD IN DUDLEY.
NEXT TARGETS ? THE MARY STEVENS PARK AND THE STOURBRIDGE GOLF COURSE ? COULD CRAM IT A REAL LOAD OF NICE UP-MARKET HOUSES TO RAKE IN THE RATES.
TO BUILD A FEW MORE LIBRARIES AND SWIMMING POOLS ? SORRY : JUST A DUDLEY JOKE !
ADD IN THE ORBITAL MOTORWAY AND A BIT OF SPRAWL AND INDUSTRIAL STATES PLUS THAT BEAUTIFUL NEW DEUTSCHES BUNDESBAHN LINE TO MARYLEBONE (EX CHILTERN). AND WHAT DO YOU GET ? WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE GOT WITH THE SPEEDWAY : A MEGALOPOLIS FROM MELTON MOWBRAY TO CLEOBURY MORTIMER…….
PS SORRY FOR THE CAPITAL LETTERS.BUT THE RAGE IS THERE TOO.
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I have 5 children and 2 dogs, i would absolutley love to make saltwells house my family home , to restore the house and its buildings,and perhaps a little tea room on the grounds for the walkers and bird watchers. the only problem is with the work that needs doing to the house it makes it impossible for ordinary people to buy it at £400,000 and then have the funds to restore it. the worst thing that could happen to the site is for someone to buy it and demolish it and turn it into a housing estate. now if it went for£200.000 (wishfull thinking i know) saltwells house could stand a chance of surviving this ever increasing mad world where they demolish the old and build boring brick boxes cramped together.
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