Inspector urged to hear voices and save green space

Stourbridge’s MP called upon a planning inspector to hear voices from history and protect a much-loved green space from developers.

Cat Eccles made her plea during an enquiry at Dudley Council House into the authority’s proposed local plan which will shape the borough’s planning policy until 2041.

Government inspector Louise Nurser has been going into the detail of the plan and on October 9 was examining whether it would be appropriate to designate Corbett Meadow as a Local Green Space (LGS).

Ms Eccles told the enquiry: “The meadow not only has huge value in terms of history and heritage, it has environmental and ecological value too.

“Descendants of John Corbett recently submitted a statement in support of LGS allocation, coinciding with a community petition to protect the meadow.

“I believe these voices must be heard.”

The meadow, on Vicarage Road in Amblecote, was gifted to the people of Stourbridge in 1892 by philanthropist John Corbett and is now owned by Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Corbett Hospital grounds. The Trust aims to sell the meadow to developers but the plan has encountered strong opposition led by Corbett Meadow Action Group (CMAG).

Persimmon Homes and Charles Church Homes were represented at the hearing by Eleanor Lovett who told the inspector the history of the site was recognised but said it changed when it became part of the NHS estate.

Ms Lovett said: “Within that, in the meadow itself there has been human intervention – part of the site was levelled for a football pitch.

“There has been other extensive works which in our view would affect the historical significance.

“We have got to recognise the importance of the government requirement for the public sector to dispose of surplus land. “The NHS has multiple times identified the land at Corbett Hospital as surplus to requirements.”

Dr Kayla Paulson from Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust pointed out the land is designated as a Site of Importance in Nature Conservation (SINC) and her organisation supported LGS status. Dr Paulson added: “It is about green infrastructure, it is about making a network of habitats. “There are other things a local authority is responsible for beyond housing.”

The enquiry also heard developers believe the council’s plan does not provide enough housing land to meet expected needs.

Ms Lovett said: “The council has not acted in the right way, it should be meeting its needs in full; this land is appropriate.”

Dudley Council planning officer Ruth Bennett said: “We have looked and found suitable land within the borough for our housing allocations. “This site was assessed and we found it wasn’t suitable so the designation would not change our position.”

Counsel for Dudley, Peter Goatley KC, highlighted the complexity of putting together the local plan. Mr Goatley told the inspector: “It is a joining the dots exercise.

"If there were concerns that this or any other authority was using green space designation in order to prevent the authority from being able to satisfy other important planning objectives, that is something you and other scrutineers of planning policy would be alive to.

“That is not the product of this exercise.”