Fears for green belt over 500 homes application

Campaigners said their fears have been realised after a planning application was submitted for more than 500 homes on green belt land.

Dudley Council received the outline application for the development on an area of Kingswinford known as The Triangle.

Opposition to any building on the land and another nearby site, close to Holbeche House, had been building in the area for months.

Developer Barberry Summerville applied for the permission to build 557 new homes on the plot, next to Swindon Road.

Kingswinford MP Mike Wood said it was "very disappointing" to hear the proposal had been formally submitted.

"The plan is strongly opposed by the local community," he said.

"Dudley has precious few green belt sites and we must work together to preserve The Triangle for future generations to come."

The land would have to be reclassified as "grey belt" to be developed, a new status introduced by the Labour government to encourage housebuilding.

Grey belt was previously described by Labour as "poor quality and ugly areas" on parts of protected land.

A report from planning specialists Lavigne Lonsdale for the applicants stated that the site was bordered by built-up areas and had a natural boundary of roads, meaning development would not significantly affect the green belt.

Campaigners said the latest application was one of a number of proposals which, if all were approved, would mean 1,735 new houses within a mile of the centre of Kingswinford.

The applicant said, as well as new homes, the development would provide public open space, allotments, cycle links, a shop and landscaping.

But objections posted on the council's planning portal highlighted pressures on existing infrastructure.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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