A green belt campaigner has accused developers of misleading the public over plans to build 850 homes in Streetly, claiming they will not construct the promised primary school and community centre.
Developers accused of leaving only space for facilities
Last month Walsall Council published IM Land and Walton Homes’ outline application to develop a new neighbourhood on green belt land off Queslett Road. The plans include a new primary school and community centre.
But Beacon Action Group member Jenny Hulme says representatives of the developers revealed during a recent public consultation event that they will only leave space for the school and community centre, not build them.
“The developers paint this very rosy picture of a village-type development with a primary school and community health centre,” Hulme said. “What they don’t tell you is that they are not going to build them. They will leave the space for the school and the community centre will be up to the NHS to build, like they’ve got plenty of money.”
She added: “They’ll leave the space and overtime it’ll degrade so they can again call it grey belt and put more houses in there.”
Campaigner challenges developers at public drop-in
Hulme said she and fellow campaigners put developers “on the spot” at the community drop-in event, which she described as “a complete and utter farce and a tick box exercise.”
“We asked them if they are going to build the school and community centre and the representatives of the developer said ‘no, we’re just going to leave the space’,” she said.
In response, IM Land said: “It is correct that the application proposals make provision for a community facility and a new primary school. How those facilities are to be delivered will be determined by the council through the planning application process.”
The developer noted the site has been identified as suitable for development in the now withdrawn Black Country Strategy and the more recent draft Walsall Local Plan.
Council says delivery will be secured if needed
Councillor Nicky Barker, deputy leader of Walsall Council, said: “The council’s assessment of the Queslett Road planning application will consider the proposals as a whole, including the supporting infrastructure proposed as part of the development.
“Where elements of a development are needed at a particular stage, planning conditions or legal agreements would be used to ensure they are delivered at the appropriate time. As the application remains at an early stage of assessment, no conclusions have yet been reached regarding the sequence or delivery of any particular element of the proposals.”
