THE Redditch Eastern Gateway has received its final seal approval after Stratford planners nodded it through on Wednesday evening.
However it was not before councillors had shredded developer Stoford’s ‘HGV routing strategy’ at a meeting which didn’t attempt to hide its sympathy for residents of Mappleborough Green, Winyates Green and Studley.
Planners managed to insert an amendment for a steering committee of local residents, councillors and developers to oversee the construction of the massive 80 acre site off the A435 and dissecting the A4023 Coventry Highway in Redditch.
“After the meeting one of the councillors took hold of both my hands and said ‘you know what you have to do now?’ and I replied ‘yes, get on that steering committee’,” said Coun Maureen Berry of Mappleborough Green parish Council, who spoke against the plans.
She added planners clearly feared that, if they rejected the scheme, Stoford would take it to appeal, which, if successful, would see the authority lose all control over the £85 million development.
“At least this way, with the steering committee, we can still have an input,” she said.
District Councillor Hazel Wright (Lib Dem, Studley & Sambourne, also spoke at the meeting. She said: “I’m very disappointed at the outcome and I feel very sorry for how it will change the face of Mappleborough Green and Winyates Green.
“They are suggesting the development will only produce an extra four HGVs at tea time. It’s simply unbelievable. I cannot see how their routing strategy is enforceable and it will only last for the 15 year duration of the build, yet it’s after it’s completed that the traffic will really build up!”
Other speakers against the development included Redditch Councillor Paul Swansborough (Ukip, Winyates) and Winyates Green resident Chris Eddon who said: “I am very disappointed at the outcome, it was not what we were looking for at all.
“We can only hope the steering committee can have some influence over the design and height of the sheds they intend to build.”
The Redditch Eastern Gateway has been billed as a ‘game changer’ for the town by Worcestershire County Council with the potential to offer 2,500 new jobs.
Situated largely in Bromsgrove and Stratford districts, only a small sliver of land actually sits within Redditch itself.
