Wythall residents fight against speculative applications

Around 80 residents turned out for a public meeting at Hollywood Golf Club on March 19.

The meeting, which was organised by Councillor Adam Kent, was held in the wake of a "barrage" of speculative housing applications across Wythall.

Councillor Adam Kent said: "It’s quite clear from the meeting that the residents of Wythall see the current avalanche of planning applications as deeply concerning both in terms of scale and inappropriate locations with a distinct lack of infrastructure.

"With over a dozen potential sites already in play we could see planning applications increasing the size of Wythall by over 60 per cent.

"Coupled with large scale developments in Solihull on the border with Wythall and we have a major problem looming, my call is to Bromsgrove District Council to open immediate discussions with neighbouring South Warwickshire to look at a far more sustainable solution to the housing needs in this area and at a scale that is appropriate not at the level that is seen now with massive speculative applications from developers working to a short political timeframe."

Developers have been given the green light by the government to build over the greenbelt following the 85 per cent increase in Bromsgrove and the Villages' housebuilding target whilst reducing Birmingham’s target by more than 30 per cent.

The government is mandating that the local council deliver the new target it has set without first providing communities with the investment they need in infrastructure.

At the "packed" public meeting, residents had the opportunity to raise their concerns with their local County Councillor and MP Bradley Thomas, who has joined forces with Councillor Kent against overdevelopment in Wythall.

They encouraged residents to make their opposition known by commenting on the planning applications which have been submitted to Bromsgrove District Council.

Wythall is also being impacted by cross-border development with more houses being built in Solihull, adding pressure to Wythall's infrastructure.

Following the meeting, MP Bradley Thomas said: "The message from the public meeting was loud and clear: Wythall says no to overdevelopment.

"The village is facing a barrage of speculative housing applications because developers have been emboldened by the Government’s housing policy.

"My constituents and I aren’t NIMBYs. We all except the need for new houses, but not on the scale the Government is imposing on us. The Government should build on brownfield land first and provide communities with the infrastructure that will be needed before any houses are built."