Controversial homes plan for wildlife site deferred over lack of details

Planning bosses decided to extend the deadline until September 3 because Selbourne Homes did not hand in all the necessary reports to Sandwell Council ahead of a planning meeting. The decision to allow more time has angered protesters who have waited since March to find out if the Worcester-based developer will be granted permission to build 13 three and four-bedroom homes on Thimblemill Recreation Ground.

Councillor John Baker said: "We are missing several pieces of information and in fairness to all sides I suggest we wait until September until we have a full report."

But Councillor Linda Horton said: "This application was submitted in March and the committee is still waiting on information.

"This has gone on too long and the community are in a state of limbo, it is not fair on the public to let this drag on and I ask the committee to refuse the application and ask the club again to withdraw the application."

Chair Steven Frear said: "Due to a lack of information on the application we are not in a position to make a decision at this time."

Just hours before the decision to defer campaigners held a rally at the entrance to the site off Thimblemill Road to lobby planning chiefs as they inspected the site.

More than 60 protesters campaigned and spoke to council officers about their concerns for wildlife and that the road is already an accident hotspot.

Karen Lemmon, aged 52, lives opposite the proposed development and said: "I know it will cause more traffic and we have already had too many accidents on this road."

Protesters were furious that officers arrived at the wildlife site on a coach emblazoned with the saying 'Helping the environment with another green machine'.

Sally Roberts, 45, from Thimblemill Road, said: "I have lived in Smethwick all my life and the wildlife has continued to be lost. If they give this the go-ahead they really couldn't care less about the environment."

Kathy Marshall, 59, from Thimblemill Lodge said the development would destroy her surroundings.

The land owner said: "It is inevitable that there will be people against the plans but the development we have aimed to do is sensitive taking on the concerns of wildlife."