MP slams Dudley Council over car park and depot plan
An MP has criticised council bosses over controversial plans to build on a park as part of a £1 million waste depot revamp.
Ian Austin has urged Dudley Council to scrap plans for the site on Lister Road which would see a car park built on open space.
The move forms part of a proposed shake-up that could see the Stourbridge tip in Birmingham Street close and Leys depot in Brierley Hill become the main waste centre for the borough.
Council bosses want to redevelop the Lister Road depot, home to its waste services staff, gritting trucks, and pothole teams, bringing it ‘up to date’.
The plans include building a new car park with room for 200 vehicles on a stretch of green space next to the depot containing football pitches.
Planning documents state the pitches will be moved but that there will still be room to play football on the land.
Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley has said the redevelopment is needed to upgrade the depot.
The plan involves demolition of the existing buildings to be replaced with new offices and other buildings and see hundreds of staff relocated from the Leys depot at Brierley Hill.
But Mr Austin, Labour MP for Dudley North, made it clear he wanted to see no development at all on the land and that residents are ‘horrified’.
He suggested he would try and block the proposals if the Conservative-controlled council does not back down.
Mr Austin said: “I’m telling Dudley Council to get their hands off the sports pitches and open space at Lister Road.
“Residents have told me that they are horrified about plans to replace their park with a car park.It has been public open space for as long as anyone can remember and it is well used by local football teams and people in the area.
“There is a childhood obesity crisis and here we have a local council planning to concrete over sports facilities.”
Controversial plans to shut Stourbridge tip and make the Leys depot the main base for waste disposal emerged last year.
However, there has been a lack of support for the move among councillors and the new Tory council leadership has suggested the proposals could be ditched.
Council cabinet member Karen Shakespeare said the land in question is not designated as a public park, but added: “We recognise the land is well used by the local sports community which is why under the proposals there will be no change to the number of football pitches on the site.”
“Centralising staff to the site will make working more efficient and contribute to council savings, while the new car park will reduce on street parking during weekend and evening events which will also benefit local residents.
“Consultations with users of the site and local residents will form part of the planning application process which will be considered as part of the formal planning process.”
