BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 108857

Derbyniwyd: 02/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Robert Clark

I do not agree with SG22. Householders on large-scale housing developments would not be locally-employed and would need to commute. Smaller developments of 10-100 dwellings should be spread over South Warwickshire to provide options near centres of employment. It is easier to integrate smaller developments. This will spread infrastructure demands.

The sustainability assessment is severely flawed and demonstrates lacking local knowledge. The site is prime green belt agricultural land. Protecting this is crucial given risks to food supply from wars and tariffs. Prioritise brownfield and grey belt sites near centres of employment. This site is a green buffer between Studley, Middletown and Sambourne and the outskirts of Redditch. Middletown would lose its rural identity through coalescence and be blighted through this site's elevation, noise, traffic, light pollution and air pollution.

Infrastructure requirements have been seriously underestimated. Gas, electricity, drainage and sewage treatment improvements would be needed. I expect the purported housing numbers will increase given site size to 1600 homes, or more if 50% are social housing. The main impacts would be felt by Studley, which could see an 80% population increase. Local schools are full with little expansion room. Most have waiting lists and have expanded already to take children from surrounding areas given wider shortages. There is no available 6th form.

Lepus scores the site well on healthcare but Redditch has been downgraded over the past decade and services moved to Worcester, now overloaded and badly-performing. Many elect to use Warwick or Coventry Hospitals which are a 30 or 60 minute drive respectively. GP surgeries are at capacity. Many local residents travelling 10 miles. The travel radius is even larger for dentists. The only leisure facilities in Studley are a small swimming pool and children's park. Other facilities involve a 20-to-30-mile car journey. Only a basic bus service is available and no train station. The nearest station is Redditch, a car journey away. The service to Birmingham New Street is erratic and overcrowded at peak times. Parking at Redditch station is expensive and limited, with no room for expansion. Locals need a car to get anywhere.

The main access towards the M42 and M5 motorways is via the A435 through the centre of Studley. This has been neglected following the rejection of a bypass decades ago. It is seriously overcrowded with frequent accidents. The A448 towards Redditch and Bromsgrove is severely hampered by the Slough junction where a small five-junction roundabout stalls the traffic. At peak times it can take 20-30 minutes to reach the island. Increased volumes will present even more problems. There is no road east, the only option is south or north to the A46 or M42 or going cross country on A, B or undesignated roads. The narrow country lanes are dangerous, busy rat-runs now. Imagine congestion around Studley if 2500+ additional extra cars are added. If the proposed SG23 Alcester development is built, 50% of traffic from this development will head north towards Studley on the A435 or A448 compounding problems further.