GREENLANDS ward Councillor Joe Baker has slammed plans to build 92 homes on land between Nine Days Lane and the Alexandra Hospital.
Developer Seven Homes announced yesterday, Thursday, March 18, that it had acquired the 5.85-acre site, named Wire Croft, from the NHS in July last year.
But Labour’s Coun Baker said it would create more congestion and constrain any future expansion of the Alex.
“If this goes ahead it will increase traffic congestion on Woodrow Drive and make it even harder to get out of Nine Days Lane,” he said.
The view from above showing how the site includes the old nurses’ accommodation at the Alex.
“It will also make a serious parking problem even worse and most critically of all it will prevent any future expansion of the Alexandra Hospital site for the services that the Conservative MP Rachel Maclean has promised to bring back to the Alex.
“And where is the social housing in this development? That is what the people of Redditch need, not more private houses.
“If re-elected by the people of Woodrow and Greenlands I will be voting against this development.”
Seven Homes said subject to approval, Wire Croft would feature a mix of one-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses, with a gross development value of £25million.
The site sits opposite Wirehill Wood and includes the old nurses’ accommodation on the Alex site.
The sale also means that the capital raised can be freed up and injected back into the NHS to help fund services.
MP Rachel Maclean has moved to calm fears over the impact of the development.
She said: “Firstly, none of the buildings on the land in question are currently in use or occupied – they are a number of former residences that have been mothballed for some time.
“No staff or services will be displaced by this development if it goes ahead.
“Secondly, all the land being sold has been identified as surplus to requirements.
“Third, one of the main concerns staff had was the loss of parking.
“The Trust already has plans in place to build replacements for this parking – and the new parking will be available for staff before any current parking is lost.
“This application does however raise concerns about the proposed access to the development and how this might affect access to the Alex. We all know Woodrow Drive is already heavily congested, and more homes will only add to this issue.
“I will therefore work with my council colleagues to ensure the developers contribute to the cost of the infrastructure improvements needed should this application be approved.
“Lastly, and most importantly, this development does not impact, in anyway, my campaign to return services to the Alex. The proposed development would not prevent the Alex from expanding in the future.”
