What’s been happening up at Shire Oak?
July 31, 2009Driving down the Lichfield Road from Shire Oak (which is currently one way thanks to the utilities companies!) you may have noticed that a huge chunch has been taken out of the side of the reservoir.
The site is owned by South Staffs Water and as it is their land then they are entitled to knock down the reservoir and flatten should they want. Or can they?
They actually received outline planning permission to build residential on the site and as part of that approval a number of planning conditions were included which included conditions on demolition. So in effect they restricted themselves.
When work started residents complained to us the councillors, and planners reviewed the case. Work was stopped a number of issues such as bat surveys and tree reports had to be submitted. South Staffs really should have got their paperwork in order before jumping in all guns blazing.
I now understand that the planning conditions have been met so I assume work will resume shortly. We will, of course, keep an eye on what is happening up there. It is important that that junction doesn’t get any worse and that the natural reserve behind is protected.
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Crikey, Mike, where on earth have you been?
I don’t quite see the need to be so sniffy to South Staffordshire Water… they own the land, outline permission was granted and a deal has obviously been done.
‘When work started residents complained to us the councillors, and planners reviewed the case. Work was stopped a number of issues such as bat surveys and tree reports had to be submitted. South Staffs really should have got their paperwork in order before jumping in all guns blazing.’
They didn’t go in ‘All guns blazing’ – they’d already done all the paperwork once – a bat study was completed by Aurum Environmental (which correctly, found nothing but a frog) to support the outline planning permission, as were notes about trees and suitable adjustments for the junction. Forcing the second bay survey by Middlemarch was just a exercise in pointless prevarication – they didn’t even look inside the reservoir because they couldn’t get in. Read their report. It was needless and typical of an authority that loves to be seen to be proactive, but rolls over and plays dead when it matters most.
There’s clearly no danger to the reserve, so that’s a red herring. Your puzzling concern about Shire Oak junction is interesting. Street’s Corner shows far greater loading, which didn’t seem to bother the planning department when approving residential developments in Walsall Wood at the former St. John’s school, the old library, former Autocraft building etc. If you really wanted to do something about Shire Oak crossroads, WMBC could start by sorting out the parking in the run up to the lights, but they chickened out of that, eh?
The reservoir is a prime brownfield site, little different to any other that’s been developed in Walsall Wood for years, surely it’s better that it be put to use and provide some stimulus to the local economy than languishing derelict.
I did note some months ago that one of the grumbles ongoing about the development is a fear of social housing being built there. I think that says it all, really.
I’ve been covering this for a couple of months now on the Brownhills Blog… even the E&S have been covering it…
Best wishes
Bob
P.S. What happened to erase your twitter history?