Concerns over housing plans on 'precious' village land
Plans for a new housing development on “precious” land in a village have been met with opposition from residents.
The scheme to build 50 homes on a site in Landywood Lane, Great Wyrley, has received more than 80 official objections, with concerns raised over traffic congestion and the loss of green space.
South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson last week handed in a 2,230-signature petition to council chiefs against the scheme, which he said will “destroy a precious site”.
Developers Cameron Homes say the scheme will not impact on the green belt as the site has been allocated for housing.
In total 84 of the 87 comments logged with South Staffordshire District Council object to the scheme, while just two support it.
Steven Bradley said he opposes the plans as he does not believe the infrastructure is in place to support the new homes. He said the new homes would “compound” issues daily traffic “chaos” which builds up in and around the village, and said there were also concerns around the local sewage network.
There were also issues around having sufficient school and doctors places, he added.
Mr Bradley said: “I am concerned by the erosion of green belt and think this site should be kept clear.
“Not to mention the suitability of this land being built on, that for the sake of the developers turning a quick profit, will cause significant issues later on for homeowners.”
Ellen Griffiths objected on the same grounds and added: “There is also a flooding problem on that particular land which often floods across the road and if built on would only make matters worse.”
Sid Kilby said: “The land in question is the only significant green space left in the vicinity, and should this initial application be approved, the floodgates would be opened for further future phases.”
He said this would mean the individual villages of Cheslyn Hay, Landywood and Great Wyrley “would then all lose their individual identities and become a conglomerate the size of a town”.
Kate Tait, group land and planning director at Cameron Homes, said the site had been allocated for housing development and was "not in the green belt".
"The site was identified to contribute to the overall housing need for the district and, while we appreciate some local residents would prefer to see it remain as open land, it was allocated for housing development through the democratic local plan process," she said.
"At Cameron Homes, we are committed to providing high-quality homes for the local community that are sensitive to the local heritage and character of an area.
"Prior to the application being submitted, we engaged positively with both ward members and Great Wyrley Parish Council and will continue to do so as the application progresses."
