Fears grow over 1,900 homes plan for green belt between Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire
Plans to build 1,900 new homes on green belt land that acts as a ‘buffer’ between Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire will create “great hardship for years to come”, worried city councillors said this week.
The ongoing proposals – part of the South Staffordshire District Council (SSDC) Local Plan – are for a large area of farmland between Kitchen Lane and Linthouse Lane in Wednesfield, close to the border with neighbouring Essington.
Wednesfield North councillor Phil Bateman, yesterday issued a statement on behalf of himself and fellow ward councillors Mary Bateman and Rita Potter.
Councillor Bateman, who has been fighting the plans since 2019, said: “We remain concerned and upset that it appears that proposals for these homes will continue to appear threateningly on our city boundaries. We are upset that a settlement of this size, alongside our key local highways in Linthouse Lane and Kitchen Lane, will have a huge detrimental effect on our own community.
“Building these homes will create great hardship for years to come on our diverse and well-established Ashmore Park estate and other key estates along highways like Wood End Road and Blackhalve Lane, all of which will put great stress on our Wednesfield North ward. Just imagine adding the vehicles from 1,900 new homes onto our estates’ roads 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
“This much-loved green belt land is such a valuable amenity to so many people. It is so well used and is beneficial to both leisure and mental health. It allows people to go out in the fresh air, watch the wildlife and get a better understanding of farming. It acts as a ‘green lung’ between here and Essington and is very valuable to so many people.
“There are ancient public footpaths on this land that have acted as links between Wednesfield, Essington and other South Staffordshire settlements for decades – some even centuries – and they need to be protected,” he added.
“There has been no thought given to how this proposed development will be served by public transport into the next decade and beyond. Also, looking for a couple of bus routes just does not seem to be taking the current climate change crisis seriously at all.
“Not enough work has gone into planning this site. It’s all been about Staffordshire and not enough thought given to how this huge development will sit alongside older urban areas in Wolverhampton. There needs to be a lot more consultation with Wednesfield residents who will be seeking a lot of reassurance.
“I am having conversations here in Wednesfield with the community now that the SSDC plans are public, and what is becoming clear is that residents have major concerns about policing, fire and rescue, health facilities and the provision of schools that will all need to be addressed,” said Councillor Bateman.
“This land is the ‘green lungs’ that have served 30,000 Wednesfield residents for decades. My plea is that this scheme is thrown out in its current form and SSDC are asked or required to think again.”
