A newsletter recently distributed on the Netherhall Park estate, (presumably by supporters of the proposed Great Barr Hall planning application) has provoked a formal response to residents from Valerie Vaz MP for Walsall South. The MP’s response to the newsletter was also included in the Walsall Advertiser on 13th March 2014.
See the letter below: Page 1
Page 2
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This is interesting but would be useful if someone could post the offending leaflet that was distributed so we can judge it for ourselves.
Say YES to houses on Great Barr Hall site
The letter from Mr Wilkes, Great Barr (Great Barr Observer 7 March) tries to belittle me with the classic put down that I have missed the point on this subject. On the contrary Mr Wilkes, I get the point completely. Locals, particularly some 15 houses on Chapel Lane are fearful of losing the view onto open countryside that they have enjoyed for a lifetime. This I can appreciate, but please don’t insult my intelligence by making out that your objection to this proposal is fear of traffic volume and poorer health provision, we are only talking of 57 homes not 570. Higher powers than you, Mr Wilkes, have an obligation to continue providing you with adequate health care, schooling and traffic management, in fact you would be in serious trouble if you did not send your children or grandchildren to school.
I say support this opportunity of having luxury homes on your doorstep. If you lobby against this latest offer the next proposal could well be something far worse like high volume affordable accommodation, which may I say would be a very worthy project, but I think I know which scheme locals would prefer so don’t look a gift horse in the mouth – it could come back to bite you !
Finally, I thought that I was supporting one of Mr Wilkes’s causes when I suggested that Walsall Planning should consider negotiating with the developers to allow the public daytime access to walk down Sutton’s Drive and Handsworth Drive, past the lakes and down onto the Queslett Road.
This, as I mentioned in my previous letter, could employ the Ha Ha principle either side of the pathway, only once again Mr Wilkes belittled me. This principle has a deep ditch either side of the path thus keeping the parkland secure from trespassers at the same time allowing an uninterrupted view of the lakes and countryside whilst walking.
And yes Mr Wilkes I am local and am able to tell you that if you enter Merrion’s Wood main drive at the side of the lodge in Chapel Lane you will see,on the LH side, an example of the 200 year old original Ha Ha. Me thinks no laughing matter but a serious and constructive suggestion.
You are never going to get a fully restored Great Barr Hall with it’s Parkland open to the public without a commercial development – Sandwell don’t want The Red House in Red House Park. Get real and take the offer of luxury homes because the next offer could be much much worse
A.Robinson, Walsall
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