CONCERNS over increased traffic, deteriorating air quality and its sheer visual impact has led parish councillors in Studley to reject the proposed Eastern Gateway development for Redditch.
The multi-million pound scheme, either side of the Coventry Highway in Redditch and backing onto the A435 at Gorcott Hill, is expected to create 1,200 new jobs and add at least £100 million of gross value to the local area.
However it sits on land within both Bromsgrove and Stratford districts, and given its proximity to junction 3 of the M42, it is likely that much of the traffic accessing the site will pass through Alcester, Studley, and Mappleborough Green.
<b>Extra traffic</b>
“It’s being sited off what has to be the worst junction in the county on Gorcott Hill then there’s all the additional HGVs – it’s going to create an awful lot of extra traffic through our village,” said council chairman, Coun Paul Beaman.
A study late last year by local resident Ian Derwent found that up to 90 lorries alone are currently thundering through Studley at peak times and there are fears that the Eastern Gateway could increase three or four fold.
“All that additional traffic will have an impact on the air quality in the village,” added Coun Beaman. “Redditch seems to be saying we will stick this here and we will stick this there and if there’s a problem we will deal with it.”
County Councillor Clive Rickhards told the meeting he had already objected to the proposal at county level on environmental grounds. The plans to develop the 30 hectare Eastern Gateway site will now go on to Stratford district council for consideration.
