'The threat is real and present' - Campaign to save Stourbridge meadowland from development is dealt a new blow
Campaigners battling to save the last piece of untouched meadowland in Amblecote from development have been dealt a blow with the landowners confirming they have entered into an options agreement with a potential buyer of the land.
The Corbett Meadow Action Group handed over a petition with more than 2,000 signatures to the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which owns the land, at the trust’s last board meeting with the hope their plea to preserve the meadow would be heard.
However, the campaign group has now received a response from the trust reiterating its intention to sell the land to the rear of Corbett Outpatients Centre for development and confirming it will continue to work with its development partner - previously stated as Charles Church (part of Persimmon Homes).
In a letter to the group, Sir David Nicholson - chairman of the Dudley Group trust board - said: “After careful consideration, the Board has made its decision on this matter and has approved entering into an ‘options’ agreement with a potential buyer."
The news has left the campaigners disappointed but vowing to continue their fight to save the meadow, off Vicarage Road, which was gifted to the people of Stourbridge by benefactor John Corbett in 1893. The land later fell into NHS ownership in 1948 when Corbett Hospital became part of the NHS.
Issuing an update on their Facebook page, the action group thanked all those who signed the petition and said: “The threat of housing development on the meadow therefore remains and is real and present.”
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust reiterated its position about “having a duty to make the best use of our resources and public money” when contacted by the Express & Star.
Diane Wake, chief executive of the trust, said: “NHS guidance sets out our requirements to dispose of any surplus assets and as such we are seeking to sell the parcel of land we own at the rear of Corbett Outpatient Centre.
“Any income received would be used to ensure delivery of patient care for local people.
“The Trust has entered an agreement to allow the purchase of the land with a housing developer and any future planning application from developers would be subject to the process of approvals, which include the opportunity for public views to be expressed.”
Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles said she has written to Sir David Nicholson urging a rethink and she added: “Secretary of State Wes Streeting and the Department of Health have both said trusts have to demonstrate they have exhausted all options to utilise land for clinical or operational purposes. Both I and the campaign group believe they have not explored this in full.
“The second stage of local plan scrutiny by planning inspectorate starts next week, and the plan proposes allocating the meadow as a Local Green Space, which will afford additional protections.
“I'll be advocating for that allocation and making clear that any housing Charles Church proposes will not meet the needs of the local area in terms of affordable and social housing. “There is plenty of brownfield land locally without building on our previous green space.
“I recently met with John Corbett's descendants and they added their voice to the campaign. The covenant states the land is for the people of Stourbridge in perpetuity and everyone in the community is urging the trust to honour this.”
The action group said it would be attending the Dudley Local Plan Examination hearings and promoting the designation of the meadow as a Local Green Space, which would give it special protection from development.
