Council officers at City of Wolverhampton Council have listened to local residents and made major changes to the proposal for a transit site at Gorsebrook Road.

The planning application for the proposed transit site was due to be heard by the council’s planning committee in November last year. 

However, following a series of representations from the local community, council officers asked the planning committee for the item to be heard at a later date, to take further time to consider the application.

The council has addressed a number of local residents’ issues raised and made the following amendments to the proposed site management plan:

  • when the site is occupied it will be staffed 24/7 by a site manager
  • there will be a dedicated 24/7 phone line for residents available when the site is occupied
  • there will also be monitored CCTV in place during occupation 
  • the maximum stay period has been reduced from 28 days to 14 days
  • the period of ‘no return’ has been extended from 3 months to 12 months
  • only travellers from unauthorised encampments within the City of Wolverhampton will be escorted to the site by the police will be allowed to use the site temporarily
  • the planning permission will only be for the City of Wolverhampton Council to run as a transit site, the permission will not be able to be transferred to another party for any other development or operation

In addition, the council has committed to enhancing biodiversity on the site, ensuring more trees are planted than removed. 

Councillor Steve Evans, Cabinet Member for City Environment at City of Wolverhampton Council said: “It’s important that we listened to our residents and considered their feedback following the consultation. 

“We deferred the item to be heard at a later date to allow enough time for their views to be considered and plans to be amended accordingly.

“I hope this provides the council’s planning committee with the reassurance that we are taking all representations into consideration.  

“We have acted upon a number of the concerns they raised and put measures in place to ensure the site is safe and secure for everyone and the environment remains a key priority.

“The council has also made key changes to the length of stay and permissions of use to reduce disruption in the area.”

The planning application will be discussed at the planning committee meeting on Tuesday 14 January, 2020 at 2pm.

The city council will be live streaming the planning committee meeting for the public to view. To watch the live stream on the day, visit the council website.