Agenda item
Friar Park Urban Village
Minutes:
The Board received a report in relation to the Masterplan proposals for a Friar Park Urban Village.
The proposals outlined the largest development in Sandwell, with up to 630 new homes with approximately 10 hectares of public open space (which represented a net increase).
The Service Manager - Spatial Planning and Growth provided the Board with an overview of the consultation activity that had taken place on the proposals, which included:-
· A dedicated website for the consultation with an online form for residents to complete to share their views;
· Two drop-in sessions, held on a Friday and a Saturday at the Millennium Centre which was adjacent to the development site;
· Promotion of the consultation campaign via Council social media posts and a letter drop to every household in Friar Park as well as a neighbouring estate;
· A joint press release with the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The Board was advised that 57 responses were received to the consultation. It was acknowledged that whilst this number was low, the site had been allocated for residential redevelopment since 2004.
In general respondents to the consultation were supportive of the proposals, but not entirely, with a number of concerns highlighted including:-
· The existing community centre that serves the local area, the Millennium Centre, was not large enough to serve an additional 630 homes.
· School and GP provision were felt by respondents to currently be inadequate, even without the development moving forward.
The Board noted that the draft Masterplan had been amended taking into account the feedback that had been received during the consultation. This included allocation of space to potentially expand the Millennium Centre as well as changes to the layout to address concerns around specific elements such as preventing access by trail bikes which was an issue for residents in the Friar Park ward.
Members stated that they had been contacted by a local campaign group which had set out its concerns including around the contamination of the site and the environmental impact.
From the comments and questions by members of the Board, the following responses were made, and issues highlighted:-
- In addition to officers from the Regeneration and Growth directorate, officers from Highways were also in attendance at the drop-in sessions.
- Members sought clarity around how it had been determined that no additional schools would be required for a development of 630 houses.
- A GP practice had been identified in Friar Park where there could be capacity for expansion if it was determined by the NHS to be required.
- The Council’s Library Service had requested, in the event that the Millennium Centre was expanded, for a permanent library space to build on the current arrangements for a small temporary library in the Centre.
- Due to the nature of the proposals, including a detailed plan, it wasn’t possible to carry out consultation by telephone.
- Some site investigations have taken place which confirmed the site was contaminated. The ground condition would remain in a contaminated state if the development did not proceed and remediation works took place.
- Further details around the provision of Affordable Housing on the site and the projected impact on waiting lists for Council housing was requested.
Members felt that in order to identify recommendations to Cabinet on the Friar Park Urban Village Masterplan it was necessary to arrange an additional meeting of the Board to include a wide range of input from technical officers and partners.
Resolved that an additional meeting of the Economy, Skills, Transport and Environment Scrutiny Board be arranged to consider the Friar Park Urban Village in more detail, including input from a range of Council service areas as well as partners.
(Councillor Gavan entered the meeting during consideration of this item)