Irate residents campaign against Dudley Lister Road car park plan
Angry residents launched a protest against plans to build on a park as part of an extension of a council depot.
People living near the Lister Road waste depot in Dudley have been left furious over proposals to build a car park on a stretch of open green space next to the site.
The area has several football pitches and dozens of people have been ‘horrified’ by the prospect of seeing it covered in concrete.
Dudley North MP Ian Austin criticised the council last week over the plans and has now met concerned residents as he stepped up his campaign for the car park proposals to be dropped.
Both the Labour MP and residents have made it clear they will not let the development go ahead without a fight.
Mr Austin has gone head to head with the Conservative-controlled authority, telling chiefs to get ‘get their hands off the sports pitches and open space’.
However, Dudley Council has said all football pitches on the land will survive but will be moved to free up space for the car park.
Council bosses want to redevelop the Lister Road depot, which houses its waste services staff, gritting trucks, and pothole teams, as part of a £1 million project to bring it up to scratch.
The controversial scheme includes building the new car park, with room for 200 vehicles, on the land next door.
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 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.
Dudley Council leisure boss Karen Shakespeare said consultations with residents would form part of the planning process, but insisted the depot extension would improve the area.
She said: “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 residents.”
But Mr Austin said the plans should be scrapped and said: “Residents are very concerned about the impact of the council’s plans to redevelop the Lister Road site, not just in relation to losing half the park but the impact building a new office block will have on their houses.
“There is concern about a loss of privacy. These plans shouldn’t be going ahead and certainly not on the football pitch.
“There are empty office blocks in the town centre that would be better rather than building a new office block across the road from houses.”
