THE DEVELOPER behind the proposed crematorium near the Waseley Hills has submitted a third application.
The plans, by H2 Land Ltd, are currently being considered by officers and could be put before the authority’s planning committee.
Permission had previously been granted for a cemetery, chapel and maintenance buiding but the controversial plans for a crematorium, originally submitted in 2014, were originally thrown out as they did not demonstrate the ‘very special circumstances’ required to develop on green belt land.
Further proposals for the crematorium were refused by the planning committee in September in 2016 and the appeal was dismissed last August by the Planning Inspector.
The issue was discussed at Monday’s Rubery PACT (Partners and Communities Together) meeting where Coun Peter McDonald issued a rallying call for residents to have their say.
He said because this was a fresh application the previous concerns would not be taken into account and would have to be re-submitted.
Coun McDonald added: “They are determined to ignore the feelings of the local residents and the wellbeing of the area, by pursuing this unwanted invasion of our greenbelt.
“It is of the utmost importance that local residents once again object to ensure that Rubery will always be known as the Gateway to the Lickey and Waseley Hills, not for a crematorium located on the slopes of the Waseley Hills.
“There is no need or a demand as the local crematorium is working well below capacity.
“This application is treating local residents with contempt and as though greenbelt land can be sacrificed for something that will damage an area of outstanding beauty.”
He also urged Bromsgrove District Council’s officers to refuse it, rather than it be turned down by the planning committee as it would carry more weight if it went to appeal again.
In the report it stated the applicant claimed this latest plan had ‘very special circumstances’ for building in the green belt.
Among them were that there was an unmet need for a crematorium in the area, that there was a lack of alternative locations and that the design featured reductions in the amount of hardstanding and in the scale of the buildings on the site.
It also stated there had been a reduction in proposed operating hours for service times to five days a week, 9am to 5pm.
We contacted H2 Land Ltd but no one was available for comment at the time of The Standard going to press.
A spokesperson for Bromsgrove District Council said: “We can confirm that we have received an application and this will be looked at in due course.”
Those wanting to view on the comment should visit publicaccess.bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter the reference number 12/0448.
