Campaign to save Winyates Green from development

Rob McColl said he feels that Winyates Green residents have not been consulted on Local Plan No 4, which would see 177 houses built in the area.

He has developed a website and is co-ordinating a response to Redditch Council from residents, and residents have also formed an action committee to fight the proposal

Mr McColl said: “Since the website went live, it has had thousands of hits and I have been contacted by hundreds of residents, from both Winyates Green and Mappleborough Green

"The community is outraged by the recent proposals that appear to have been added to Local Plan No4 at the eleventh hour. Not only because they have since found out that the proposals were investigated and discounted earlier, but also because the plan may not be legally compliant. This means that our council taxes are not only being squandered producing reports on futile projects, but more could be spent to defend the plans if we protest.”

He added: “The council claims these plans have been influenced by the community residents are telling me that they have not been consulted. If necessary, I am prepared to get a written statement from every household on Winyates Green to let the evidence speak for itself.”

An online petition is available at www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/keepourgreen which asks for an exhibition of the plans to be put up in Winyates Green Community Centre and an extension to the November 11 deadline for representations to be submitted.

Mr McColl has also arranged a meeting for residents to be held at the community centre, on Furze Lane, this Saturday, November 2, from 10am until 11.30am.

For more details, see www.keepourgreen.com.

A council spokesman said: “The Local Plan Number 4 has been many years in the making during which there have been numerous times when all residents were consulted and invited to have their say. In doing so we have adhered to the statement of community involvement which sets out how the council will involve the community.”