Anger at 'devastating' 600 acre Staffordshire freight depot plan
'Devastating' and 'heartbreaking' – this was the reaction of people living near a proposed rail freight interchange that will swamp more than 600 acres of farm and woodland after the full extent of the scheme was revealed.
The West Midlands Interchange is set to be built between Junction 12 of the M6 and the main A449 Stafford Road on the southern side of the A5.
A new roundabout would be built between the motorway junction and the Gailey island on the A5, under the plans. Another roundabout would then be built between the Gailey island and the Four Ashes crossroads.
The scheme will include a rail terminal with 17 warehouses and service buildings around 800,000 square metres in size.
Two options have been presented with both covering more than 600 acres of land between Four Ashes, Gailey and J12.
Four Ashes Limited, which is behind the scheme, says it will create 8,500 jobs, boost manufacturing and logistics, and reduce the number of HGVs on roads across the West Midlands.
Two illustrative masterplans for the project show it will take up acres of South Staffordshire's countryside, while surrounding some homes.
The project has gone out for the consultation with exhibitions to be held both this month and next month in Penkridge, Coven and Calf Heath, Wolverhampton. Maps have also been pushed through letterboxes in the area.
But concerned people living nearby have voiced their opposition to the scheme with a social media group against the scheme already set up.
Resident Karen Jinks, who only moved into her home on Station Road off the A449 with her husband a year ago, says she will move house if it goes ahead.
The 47-year-old said: "I'm absolutely devastated to be honest. We'll be moving if we can sell the house. But I can't see us selling it. Who wants to live by that? Nobody.
"We're in the middle of extension and renovations of the house and we're stuck. So far, we've spent £40,000 doing it up. We've got to finish them to sell it.
"We found out in April but we received the plans on Tuesday. The sheer size of it is nowhere near what we expected."
Each plan proposes a new roundabout on the A5 and A449. The main difference between the plans is the location of the actual rail terminal.
Under one scheme, it sits close to the A449, whereas a second option puts it parallel with the A5.
Ten trains would stop at a rail terminal at the site each day delivering goods which would then be transported to manufacturers, retailers and consumers.
Another resident, Paula Appleby, said: "We don't want it, we bought our properties purely for the peace and quiet and the views.
"I understand what year we are in and that we need more jobs but that's not the issue. Our properties will be devalued, we have just spent a small fortune on our property and we don't want the noise, it's so peaceful that's what's heartbreaking. If we had wanted to live on an industrial estate we would have bought elsewhere."
Chloe Burns, aged 26, of Gailey, added: "This is really important to us. It's not just about resident's properties it's also wildlife and a greenbelt area that should be protected."
The rail freight terminal would have connections to the West Coast Main Line railway.
The development site includes Calf Heath Reservoir, Calf Heath Wood and part of the Calf Heath Marina.
The scheme, which will be submitted to the Government in 2017, has already attracted concerns from nearby residents who have fears over the loss of countryside, increase in disturbance and impact on their house prices.
Managing director of developers Four Ashes Limited, Peter Frost, said: "The development will be made up of warehouses for the storage, processing and movement of goods for manufacturers, retailers and consumers and will connect the West Midlands to a wider strategic national network of rail served distribution centres and ports.
"It's the type of project that the region's businesses and economic organisations have said they urgently need and it is supported by a national government policy to encourage freight movements off the roads and onto rail."
The Government could decide the planning application by early 2019.
A residents meeting is taking place on Monday from 10am at the home of Paula Oak in, Gailey.
Public consultation on early design options for the scheme started this week and will run until Sunday, July 24. Public exhibitions are taking place in Penkridge at The Haling Dene Centre on June 30 from 2pm until 7pm, Coven Memorial Hall in Brewood Road on July 8 between 3pm and 8pm and Calf Heath Village Hall on the Straight Mile on July 9 from 10am until 2pm.
