Plan for new town on green belt between Coventry and Birmingham

[dutchman]

Campaigners fear green belt between two cities will be eroded



Plans are being pushed to create a new town on green belt land between Coventry and Birmingham.

The new ‘urban quarter’, which would create 4,000 new homes, is earmarked for land next to Birmingham Airport and would be based around the HS2 high speed railway interchange due to be built in the area.

Proposals for the new town are being put forward by the UK Central Solihull Urban Growth Company (UGC) - which is supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.

But campaigners have long raised fears that a development of this scale would eat into the ‘Meriden Gap ’ and see urban sprawl erode the green belt between Coventry and Birmingham.

At the other end of the A45 , Coventry City Council has included proposals for 2,250 on the green belt between Coventry and Birmingham. These plans, based around Eastern Green, have added to campaigners’ concerns.

UGC has formally asked HS2 Ltd to upgrade the current plans for a parkway-style station on the 350-acre site known as Arden Cross, situated on Junction 6 of the M42 motorway adjacent to Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre.

Changes range from altering bridges, moving roads and new landscape features to car parks, pedestrian connections and other public transport links.

Those behind the plan say it would create 77,500 jobs, up to 4,000 homes, 775,000sq metres of commercial space and up to £4.1 billion for the local economy as a result.

The cost of the proposed changes to the existing plans will be met by the West Midlands Combined Authority through its HS2 Growth Strategy Fund secured as part of its Devolution Agreement.

HS2 Ltd is expected to begin evaluating the requests immediately with a decision likely later in the year.

Joe Rukin, campaign manager for Stop HS2, has serious concerns over the plans which he has repeatedly suggested, over the past few years, were secretly in the pipeline.

He told the Telegraph: “Goodbye green belt, hello Greater Birmingham .

“The chief engineer denied it would lead to creation of new city, after he’d said it in the first place, now here we go.

“This has always been about green belt development for London commuters which is why construction industry lobbied so hard for HS2, and this proves it.”

[Melisandre]

Proves we don't live in a democracy it's like believing in a mythical creature.

[rebbonk]

I reckon Lucas knew all about this when she sold us out.

[Melisandre]

Yep agree with you Rebbonk and we had no say in that did we hence no democracy its just a mythical creature.