Villagers prepare to take their Greenbelt fight into its second decade

South Staffordshire Council has enraged Swindon residents and parish councillors by earmarking land for housing despite previous promises to keep it green.

Swindon Parish Councillor Gordon Fanthom has fired a broadside against South Staffordshire Council ahead of what is set to be a contentious 2024. Citing environmental concerns, the risk of flooding and endangering the village's viability in the long term, Councillor Fanthom believes pending planning applications will cause irreparable damage to the village he loves if passed.

He said: "South Staffordshire Council not practicing what they preach over greenbelt plunder. Despite the Government's new guidelines like 'not to concrete over the countryside' and with Michael Gove now saying 'local authorities would not need to redraw the greenbelt' South Staffordshire Council are continuing with their contentious Site Allocations Document Greenbelt Housing Plan."

He added: "The Site Allocations or SAD mass housing developments of greenbelt land should have been instantly scrapped when the council themselves declared a 'climate crisis' yet the Council planners appear oblivious to the simple fact that building more houses on Greenbelt can only increase Carbon emissions not decrease them, in short fuelling the Climate Crisis not helping reduce it."

Swindon Parish Council and many residents have constantly objected to development of SAD 313 which started as RAHP 4 Rural Exception site but plans are now a high end private housing development.

Councillor Fanthom added: "Why would any council in a Climate Crisis even consider the double whammy of increasing carbon emissions plus possible flood risk increase from the cheap soak away's proposed drainage system instead of a large water run off pool which SAD developments normally have had."

Swindon Parish Council have continually objected to the contentious Greenbelt development applications within in its borders. Different developers have tried and failed to build a new estate by Himley Lane but then resubmit planning applications for homes. With demands for affordable housing high across the country and county residents in the village also are annoyed the planned homes would be way out of the price range of first time buyers.

However, South Staffordshire Council have repeatedly explained the need to build more homes to cope with the housing crisis.

Publishing the latest Local Plan last year, Councillor Terry Mason, Cabinet Member for Planning and Business Enterprise, said: "The South Staffordshire Local Plan is based on robust planning evidence with infrastructure at its heart.

"We know that there are significant challenges in meeting national requirements, and providing new homes for our local communities, whilst protecting our Green Belt wherever possible."

He added: The Local Plan also has a critical role in balancing growth with protecting the natural environment, including playing a key role in mitigating the effects of climate change."