Wolverhampton road closure ‘adds insult to injury’
Drivers in a leafy suburb of Wolverhampton are to suffer extensive delays as a retirement home developer carries out building works.
Drivers will be unable to travel along Stockwell Road in Tettenhall in both directions between its junction with Lloyd Road and Danescourt Road.
The works are due to start on January 8 and last until January 12 with a diversion route to be set up ready for traffic.
The closure of the road has been brought in "to facilitate traffic-calming measures on behalf of McCarthy & Stone".
This means that speed bumps, a 20-mile-per-hour speed limit and a narrowing of the road must take place in order for the developers to be in keeping with their planning permission.
The news comes as earlier this year, McCarthy & Stone built retirement apartments along Stockwell Road following the demolition of the historic so-called ‘Clock House’ that once stood on the site.
The plans for the development caused controversy when first submitted to the council.
Council chiefs threw out the proposals for the development on the historic Stockwell Road site, however, the developers then obtained planning permission from the National Planning Inspectorate.
A total of 22 retirement properties are being built on the site since permission was granted, and in the summer, cranes moved into Tettenhall to carry out the work.
When the plans for the homes was first submitted to Wolverhampton council, a petition was signed by 160 nearby residents and 230 objections were made on the grounds of an expected ncrease in traffic on Stockwell Road and connecting roads; loss of trees and natural habitats and insufficient parking.
Councillor Jonathan Yardley, Conservative councillor for Tettenhall Regis ward, said: "This just adds insult to injury.
"The residents knew what would happen if this development went ahead and the impact it would have on traffic and parking.
"The way the developers have treated them is appalling.
"Now they have to introduce speed bumps, a speed limit and a narrowing of the road as they can't touch the historic sandstone walls that are part of the local neighbourhood preservation plan.
"I would urge residents to be vocal about what they think of the measures and oppose this at every turn."
The house which once stood where the development now lies was once owned by Edward Swindley who donated Tettenhall’s landmark clock tower on Upper Green in 1911.
A scale model of the Tettenhall clock stood in Mr Swindley’s garden and has been preserved by developers.
Recently, BT only just moved out of the road after repairing and laying new telephone lines.
