Fury as work starts on marina near Dudley

A site office this week moved onto the 22-acre green belt site at Swindon, near Dudley, signalling the start of a scheme which could see hundreds of narrowboat residents living in the village.

Under the plans, fields off the village's High Street will be flooded to provide berths for up to 199 boats.

There will also be a 130-space car park, farm shop, tea room and viewing area.

The development, by Tim and Joanna Munday(COR), owners of neighbouring Manor Farm, attracted nearly 300 objections, but was finally given planning permission at the end of 2010.

Terry Carvin, who led a five-year campaign against the plans, admitted the battle was now lost, and fired an angry broadside at civic leaders who he claimed had let the village down.

"There's a severely hostile disposition across the whole community because we thought it would never go ahead," he said.

"The community feels it has been badly let down by the parish council, the district council and the local MP, Gavin Williamson.

"Ninety per cent of the residents of Swindon are 100 per cent opposed to the marina development."

However, Mr Williamson said he had done all he could to ensure residents' views were heard.

However, he said as an MP he had no powers over the planning process.

Mr Williamson said he had successfully objected to plans to increase the proposed number of berths

The scheme was first put forward in 2009, and was met with immediate opposition from villagers who said it would lead to increased road congestion, pollution, and a risk of flooding.

South Staffordshire District Council finally granted permission in December, 2010, after Mr and Mrs Munday agreed to reduce the number of berths from 252 to 199.

Six of the village's 10 parish councillors resigned the following month in protest, and the campaign against the scheme was dealt a further blow when the Government said it would not intervene.

A further application, to increase the number of berths to 236, was thrown out by the district council last year.

Mr Carvin, chairman of Swindon Marina Action Group, warned that the infrastructure in the village would not be able to support the extra demands placed on it by the scheme.

"There's not enough parking in Swindon as it is, so how are we going to cope if there are another 1,200 to 1,300 people in the village?" he said.

"There are only 1,300 people in the village at the moment, so it is going to double the population."

Mr Carvin, a 67-year-old retired managing director from Church Road, also warned it would increase the risk of flooding at the neighbouring Hinksford caravan park.

Mr Williamson, who had called for a public inquiry into the scheme, said he had written to the chief executive of South Staffordshire District Council seeking more information about what was happening with the site.

He said it was his understanding that planning permission would have expired had the work not begun by the end of this week.

"I would like to know whether they are just putting down some footings at this stage, or whether it marks the beginning of the major work."

Councillor Roger Lees said the district council had placed a large number of conditions on the scheme when permission was granted.

"It is a very controversial application, and there is still opposition, but I would not say it is anywhere near 90 per cent," said Councillor Lees.

"Mr Carvin has his own viewpoint, which he is entitled to, but I would suggest it is somewhat different from that taken by everybody else."

Mr Munday said the scheme would create 10 new jobs.

He said there was 'not a grain of truth' in the flooding claims, saying the plans had been vetted by both central and local government.

Some traders in the village have also welcomed the scheme. Andrew Smith, who runs Mr Smith's fish and chip shop in High Street, thought it would be good for trade.

"I've never seen a marina that's an eyesore," he said. "There's no life in the village as young people can't afford to live here and the average age has gone up. The marina would be very tranquil."