PLANS to build nearly 700 homes in Redditch have been given the green light by councillors in a bid to meet ‘a desperate need for housing’.
The borough’s Planning Committee gave the three developments the go ahead at Redditch Town Hall on Wednesday (December 9) with all applications waved through unanimously by councillors.
Developers Persimmon, were granted outline permission to expand their Brockhill East project which will now include 296 more homes, employment land, large play area, school and open space.
The planning director, Kate Tate, said 30 per cent of the properties would be classed as affordable homes and the new build would make a significant contribution to the council’s obligation to maintain a five year land supply.
The committee then approved the layout and design of 200 homes proposed by Bovis Homes on Weights Lane in Bordesley although Councillor Tom Baker Price (Con, Headless Cross & Oakenshaw) did raise the issue of the traffic lights just further on from the development.
He said: “I am quite concerned about the added traffic from the new housing and this will need to be addressed.”
The plans submitted by Barratt West Midlands for the final application, also for 200 homes, on Pumphouse Lane, in Webheath, came under debate during the meeting with one resident objecting to the application.
Ian McQuade told councillors they could not be certain the site was not polluted from its previous use where it was used for the manufacture of needles.
He said: “Since the original investigation on December 19 in 2014, there have been changes in legislation involving environmental protection.
“The field was previous used as a dumping ground and there was a construction of sewage waste which forms part of the site.”
However Jane Smith from Taylor Wimpey and Barratt, said: “We have carried out full investigations and have looked specifically into the waste concerns and the results came back clean.”
Coun Chalk (Con, Abbey) said: “I am balanced on this application. I think everyone around this table would like to keep as many of the fields in Redditch as possible but I am told that for the sake my grandchildren and children we need extra houses in the borough.
“So on balance do you go for the view or do we build properties for my grandchildren. With that in mind I move to grant the permission.”
