Plans to chop down the woodland on the Thimblemill Recreation ground to clear the way for building 13 luxury homes will go to Sandwell Council's planning committee on Wednesday.
The plans have been recommended for approval by planning officers, despite the opposition of local Ward councillors and a petition signed by over 1,000 calling for the woodland to be preserved.
Smethwick councillor Richard Marshall said, “We are not anti-house building, but everyone knows we are surrounded by perfectly good sites in this area where new homes could be built without the need to destroy the last bit of natural uncultivated woodland in Smethwick. There are a number of environmental questions around this particular site which have not been answered, including issues of wildlife, drainage, and the road access on to Thimblemill Road.”
Abbey councillor Bob Piper said, “We feel there are perfectly good planning ground to throw out this report. I am not happy that some of the environmental issues are supposedly going to be agreed as conditions of the application after the planning consent has been granted. If these matters are going to be resolved it should be before the application is approved and open to public scrutiny, not cobbled together in private behind closed doors.”
The application will be considered by the planning committee in public session at Sandwell Council House in Oldbury on Wednesday 24th September at 5pm.
The Bearwood Blog 
bit confused i thought the issues mentioned by richard marshall had to be addressed before planning consent was given,and surely how can the planners have already made their minds up before all issues are heard on wed,i thought the idea of a public session was to hear all views and then decide obviously i must be thick
No, you’re not thick Hazel. The officers always make a recommendation based on their knowledge of planning legislation, and more often than not, that recommendation is accepted. But the committee aren’t obliged to follow the recommendation and on Wednesday we will be attempting to persuade the councillors that our objections are valid, and to reject the application.
Hear, hear Bob….well said……there are two sites near the railway and canal by the canal bridge and level crossing in Langley which have lain empty for years……why are brownfield sites being developed before leafy green woodland sites like the one at Thimblemill Rec? Surely these brownfield sites should be being developed first……oh yes I forgot, greedy developers want the easy option and do NOT want to pay to clean up vacant former industrial sites (the brownfield sites mentioned)…..it’s all wrong…..and no I am not banging the ‘Green Party Drum’ on this one Bob as I think that we are in agreement on this……..Let’s throw this awful application out and tell Thimblemill Rec to pull their finger out and try to recruit more members like Somers Sports and Social Club in Halesowen did when faced with falling membership, instead of selling off chunks of their site piecemeal to make a fast and easy buck and get themselves out of the financial mire….Rant over!
Spot on…comrade!
The sites in Langley border a railway line a chemical works an industrial estate and a block of flats the equivalent of Mos Eisley, whats a ‘developer’ going to do 15 ‘executive houses’ or a marketing mans nightmare. Redevelop the Londonderry site sell off Bristnall Hall School site and move the school to the old Oldbury Grammar school site gives you a decent few plots. (minor anti ‘developer’ (I hate that word) over)
I am now humming the ‘Internationale’ Bob and am a fully paid up reader of ‘The Morning Star’ with a Green tinge……..as Wolfie Smith said: ‘Power to the People’!!!!!