LOCAL residents have hit out after being given just one month to comment on outline plans for the Redditch Eastern Gateway development.
The 32 hectares site – nearly 80 acres – could bring up to 2,500 jobs to the town, but has sparked fury from nearby residents in Winyates Green and those living along the A435 in Mappleborough Green, Studley and Coughton.
In comments on the planning application people have expressed their anger over the impact of more cars and lorries on the road, the damage to local wildlife and the need to build the development in the first place, citing plenty of vacant units in Redditch itself.
“They say there will be ‘no severe’ increase in traffic, yet if that is the case why do they need hundreds of car parking spaces? And that’s before you factor in the impact of the HGVs,” said Councillor Maureen Berry of Mappleborough Green parish council.
However there is also concern about re-routing traffic through Redditch’s extensive network of roads.
Proposals for vehicles heading south would send them along the Coventry Highway / Alvechurch Highway to emerge at Rough Hill Drive and from there down the A448 past Studley to join the A435 at Spernall.
It is acknowledged this would require major re-workings of the Spernall junction and the A448 island in Redditch.
District councillor Justin Kerridge (Con, Studley North) said the development was included in the Stratford core strategy and to stop it going ahead would be problematic, adding that the key issue was traffic.
“Traffic impact studies have been done and these say there will be ‘no significant’ increase in HGVs on the road system south through Studley.
“Leaving aside what exactly ‘no significant’ means, with the road already causing distress any more traffic would be harmful whether or not it is significant.
“If it is damaging to Mappleborough Green and Studley then I cannot accept it. This is the idea for HGVs to use the Redditch main road system.
“The disadvantage is it comes along the A448 but it’s a lot less of a disadvantage than it going through the centre of the village.
People have until August 24 to comment on the planning application, number 17/01847/OUT, which can be viewed on the Stratford district council website.
A petition opposing the development can be accessed here
