GREEN belt land has been put up for sale by developer H2Land just weeks after its lengthy battle for planning permission for a crematorium was granted.
The land, near Waseley Hills in Rubery, has also been listed for buyers as ‘suitable for up to 350 homes’ if green belt restrictions can be lifted.
While it’s still likely a crematorium will be built, as the 19.8 acres site (8 hectares) is being primarily sold as having ‘planning consent for a crematorium, cemetery and chapel’, residents will again be concerned over the future of the site.
Following the crematorium’s approval on July 2, residents had feared the development would increase traffic, have a negative effect on the openness of the green belt and cause disruption near and on New Inns Lane.
Councillor for Rubery, Coun Peter McDonald said: “It goes to show how the appeals process favours the applicant and overrides democracy.
“Residents now have to deal with the fact they will either have a crematorium on their doorstep or 350 new homes.”
H2Land director Mark Donald said the decision to market the site is a commercial one and may result in the land being sold, or retained and operated by his company.
He said: “The site has for some considerable time been under consideration in the SHELAA for housing development, as are many pieces of land across the district are, given Bromsgrove’s lack of land availability in the local area.
“And in the 2018 update the site is retained as having potential for green belt release for residential development.”
The full listing on Right Move can be seen here.
