West Midlands countryside being 'destroyed' to meet government housing targets
Worcestershire’s countryside is being “destroyed” to meet government housing targets, a planning committee has heard.
Wychavon District Council’s planning committee was unhappy with a plan to build 59 homes in Drakes Broughton but councillors felt as though they had no choice but to approve it.
Councillor Emma Kearsey said members have consistently turned down housing schemes in the village but government planning inspectors have also been consistent in overturning those decisions.
“We don’t want any more development at Drakes Broughton, because it’s hypocritical,” she told last week’s planning meeting.
“Wychavon new town is coming forward because we wanted to avoid villages being turned into towns, villages joining each other and towns becoming cities.
“But while we were bringing that forward, the government inflicted a 97 percent increase in housing targets, which weren’t based on anything.
“They have reduced the housing numbers in Birmingham and they’ve increased it by 97 percent in Wychavon. How do we find those housing numbers when we’ve already got the new settlement planned? We find it by destroying our countryside.”
Discussing a bid to develop fields off Stonebow Road in the village, Cllr Kearsey said in “normal times” the committee would have grounds for refusal but “in these ridiculous times where the government wants to destroy the countryside, I can’t see we have any grounds”.
“It’s inappropriate development. We know the sewers can’t cope with it. But there seems to be nothing whatsoever we can do about it.”
Cllr Rick Deller said it was “disrespectful” the applicant had not turned up to defend the development.
He said when there are no objections from statutory consultees such as highways and drainage experts, it puts councillors in a position where they have no choice but to approve the plans.
Chairman Nicolas Wright said it’s “very sad indeed it’s got to a stage in planning where we can’t look after a village like that.”
Parish councillor Janet Butterworth said the number of homes in Drakes Broughton has risen from 686 a decade ago to more than 900, and could increase to 1,400 with approved and proposed developments.
“That’s a huge increase – no big plan, just incremental increases individually assessed and individually accepted. Piecemeal – not co-ordinated and not joined up planning at all.
“Just more houses, more people, more cars, less open space, fewer buses and disappearing cohesion.”
Resident Mark Grisdale said: “Raw sewerage regularly bursts out of inspection covers due to a lack of capacity in the system,” adding that surface water flooding is a regular occurrence.
“The expansion of intensive agricultural production allowed by this council has meant the roads in Drakes Broughton often resemble the entrance to an industrial estate.
“Horse riders and runners talk of taking their life into their hands when venturing onto Walcott Lane or Stonebow Road.
“Residents are in despair over the developments – they feel they are never listened to.”
Councillors eventually voted by seven to five in favour of the outline planning application.