'Our village won't cope': I visit West Midlands neighbourhood where residents fear for the future

Bradford Rural Estates proposed the plans for the new homes on a 4.8-hectare site, off Malthouse Lane, Church Eaton, which was previously used for agricultural purposes.

The site would be accessible via Malthouse Lane; however, residents now fear for the future of their ‘close-knit’ village.

Visiting the village, locals said that whilst they would welcome potential new neighbours, they don’t believe the village has the ‘infrastructure’ for such a plan.

Gemma Cooper, aged 51, a resident of the area, said: “I don’t think anyone has any issues with new people moving in, we are a really welcoming community.

“But we don’t have the infrastructure for 38 new homes. The roads are terrible, and the school is already overworked.

“We just don’t have the system for 38 new homes.”

Residents raised issues over the roads in the village, with many saying that the roadways are ‘already strained’.

One resident, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said: “I don’t think the roads could handle the strain.

“We already have HGVs, lorries and tractors come down here, and that’s not even including the school rush.

“38 houses means possibly 38 cars, if there are two per house, that’s more than 70 cars. I don’t think the roads would cope.”

Other residents raised issues over the use of the land, saying that changing the use of the land may ‘displace newts or bats’.

Daniel Wilks, aged 48, a regular visitor to the area, said: “At night you do see bats over there, and I believe there are newts too.

“I’m just worried about the animals that would be displaced. It’s a large stretch of green land that would be destroyed, and all those animals would have to be shifted.

“It would be a shame if it goes ahead.”