A ‘CALL to arms’ has been issued to form a united front in the face of HGV traffic generated by the Redditch Eastern Gateway.
It comes from Winyates Green Residents Association in the wake of a planning application for the northern half of the Gateway site which would see one giant warehouse replace the six smaller ones envisaged in the original application.
This new plan calls for parking bays for 137 heavy goods vehicles and parking space for 100 more.
The potential occupier of the site isn’t named while the word ‘insignificant’ is used to describe the traffic flow south through Redditch and along the A435 – without defining what insignificant means.
“The proposal states that the ‘majority of traffic will follow the A435 in a northerly direction’ and the traffic flowing south will be ‘insignificant’,” said Len Quartly from the residents association.
“We have asked the three councils concerned, Redditch, Bromsgrove and Stratford, to share any justification or evidence to back this statement and whether the previous traffic impact studies are now irrelevant.
“And we feel strongly that the latest development proposal cannot be fairly considered without full disclosure and have requested the name of the proposed occupier to be put in the public domain.”
He added that with the development operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, any ‘insignificant’ increase in juggernauts heading south or approaching from the south would have a significant impact for residents of Oakenshaw, The Slough, Spernal Ash, Coughton, Sambourne, and Astwood Bank.
The proposed traffic routing strategy also reveals Gateway traffic will affect all of Redditch, not just those communities on the east side of town.
Traffic heading towards junction 2 of the M42 will be routed out along the A441 Birmingham Road where hundreds of new houses have been built opposite the Abbey Stadium.
HGVs heading south will be sent down the Bromsgrove Highway to the already heavily congested Oakalls Island on the A38.
Campaigners also question the number of jobs the site will create.
Originally touted as offering some 2,500 positions, figures for the north section of the development shows just 450 parking places for staff against the original figure of 853.
Redditch is also regarded by the Department for work and Pensions as having ‘full employment’.
“This is a call to arms for all residents of these areas to get in touch as now is the time to consolidate our voice, as this is not just an issue for Winyates Green,” said Mr Quartly.
A spokesperson for Gateway developer Stoford said no one was available to comment due to the half term school holidays.
To see the plan in full, key in 18/01626/VARY on the e-planning portal of Stratford District Council’s website.
Contact Len Quartly at [email protected] or Winyates Green Residents Association at [email protected].
