KINGSWINFORD residents turned out in force to a public meeting this week as a campaign against plans to build 650 new homes on an old quarry site gathered pace.

The Crestwood Park Residents Action Group held an emergency meeting on Monday January 9 at The Crestwood Pub to discuss plans submitted by Urban Remediation Ltd to build a new housing estate on the old Ketley Quarry site.

The plan would see mainly two and three-bedroom properties built, plus some four-bedroom and a smaller proportion of one-bedroom maisonettes.

Residents, however, fear the development would bring an extra 2,600 people to the area – adding more pressure to stretched services such as schools, GP surgeries and hospitals.

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The action group campaigning to fight the plan has delivered more than 1,000 leaflets to homes in the area to make people aware of the scale of what’s proposed.

More than 175 people turned up to Monday’s meeting and action group spokesperson Natalie Turner said: “It was standing room only and we had to turn people away as the pub was at capacity - people even stood outside.

“We had many more messages of support and the planning portal has seen a dramatic increase in objections.”

Nearly 250 objections have now been lodged on the council’s planning portal following a leaflet drop by members of the action group.

Documents submitted also show the Black Country Integrated Care Board has requested a £624,735.60 contribution towards local healthcare infrastructure which would be impacted by the development which it’s thought would generate an extra 1,560 patients in the local area.

People have until Thursday January 12 to have a say on the plan (P22/1734).

To contact the action group email crestwoodprag@gmail.com or check out the group’s Facebook page.