Valerie attends public meeting on Great Barr Hall planning application

On Saturday 1 February 2014 Valerie attended a public meeting about the recent planning application for the construction of 59 houses on Green Belt land at Great Barr Park.

Valerie said:

“The large turnout at the meeting at the Great Barr War Memorial Hall showed the strength of feeling locally about these proposals to build what is effectively a gated community of 59 large houses on Green Belt land. I would like to congratulate Bob Winkle and Beacon Action Committee for their work in organising the meeting. Residents I spoke with were clear that Planning Permission should be refused on the basis of the damage the development would cause to the Green Belt, the additional traffic on Chapel Lane and the potential impact on wildlife locally.”

“The developers wish to justify this housing development on Green Belt on the basis that it will make it financially viable for them to restore Great Barr Hall, which is currently in a state of ruin. However, documents published this week on the Walsall MBC planning website show that work would not start on the restoration of the Hall for 10 years. In my view, this raises the real concern that the housing development would go ahead and work would never start on the Hall.”

“I will be making representations to Walsall MBC on behalf of my constituents opposing this planning application. Green Belt land in Walsall is extremely scarce and so should be treated as sacrosanct.”