Webheath housing plan deadline extended

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THE DEADLINE to object to plans to build up to 200 homes in Webheath has been extended after residents reported problems commenting on the proposals online.

Residents now have until midnight on Tuesday (September 11) to comment on the controversial plans for part of the Webheath ADR (Area of Development Restraint) submitted by Barratt Homes and Taylor Wimpey.

Although Redditch Borough Council deny claims from the Webheath Action Group the volume of people wanting to comment last Friday (September 7) - the initial deadline - caused a special online section of its website dedicated to the application to crash, a spokesman admitted their had been reports of technical issues surrounding people posting their responses.

"We have flexibility to the extend the deadline and that's what we did in the interests of ensuring everybody is able to register their comment," he added.

So far more than 800 people have commented on the application and a petition with 1,283 signatures from Webheath residents on it was handed in by the WAG on Friday on Friday at Redditch Town Hall.

It urges all planning applications on the ADR to be refused.

The group's objections centre around inadequate road infrastructure which will become more dangerous for drivers and pedestrians and increase congestion, increased flooding, lack of public transport and local employment opportunities as well as the ability of GPs surgeries, shops and schools to cope.

As well as new homes the proposals include a community building or shop on the site, play area and upgrades to the road network, cycle and path links and the creation of a balancing pond to reduce surface water run-off.

The land had previously been earmarked for housing by Redditch Borough Council but was not included in the first draft of the Core Strategy, which will set out where new houses should be built between now and 2026, as it was not believed the site was viable. But further work by Severn Trent and the Highways Authority has indicated development may now be possible.

The application can be viewed online by visiting www.redditchbc.gov.uk/planning and typing in the reference number 2012/207/OUT

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