Nod for new houses in spite of fears

Five new homes will be built on garden land in a village near Wolverhampton – despite objections by residents during a public meeting.

Residents and members of Pattingham Parish Council voiced fears that road access to the site would be dangerous.

Landowner Mark Titley had applied to South Staffordshire Council to build the homes on land, off High Street, that forms part of unused gardens to cottages on the Patshull/Dartmouth Estate.

Up to 30 residents attended the authority's regulatory committee meeting last night, where councillors gave the plans the go-ahead despite the objections.

Campaigner Mark Willis, aged 54, who lives on High Street, near to the proposed development, said he and other residents would now look at whether it was possible to appeal the decision.

"We're really annoyed. Our concern is the position of the road because it is such a bad bend and it is an accident waiting to happen," he said. "We feel so strongly about this that we won't be giving it up easily."

In a report, the council's planning officers said that county council highways experts had not raised objections to the junction and recommended it be approved.